France: Huge seizures of counterfeits, from soft toys to electronics
Officers from the French customs authority Direction Générale des Douanes et Droits Indirects (DGDDI) took successful action against both local trade in counterfeits and international transport of fakes in July and August 2025. According to a recently released report by the authorities, a total of over 70,000 counterfeits were seized during several actions across the country. Numerous images of seized counterfeits were published online.
Two inspections of international transport routes spotlighted counterfeit plush toys of the well-known Labubu brand from Chinese manufacturer Pop Mart. According to the authorities, a truck from the United Kingdom carrying goods from China was intercepted in Dunkirk in the north of France, for example. When inspecting the cargo, officials discovered around 25,000 soft toys, presumably counterfeits of the Labubu brand. In eastern France, customs officials inspected a Polish truck transporting goods from Spain to Poland on the A36 autoroute near Mulhouse. The officers discovered almost 20,000 Labubu counterfeits and over 25,000 packaging items.
In parallel, the authorities also covered local markets in their actions against counterfeiting. For example, two street traders are facing fines after customs officers from Montpellier and local police inspected a market in Vias in southern France. In total, the officers confiscated over 16,000 counterfeit goods, including soft toys, playing cards, and key rings. In the north of France, customs officers stopped a travelling showman at the Fresnes-les-Montauban toll station on the A1 autoroute. During an inspection of the truck, the officers found almost 14,000 counterfeit items, including Pokémon cards and soccer shirts as well as earphones, headsets, and watches carrying the Apple brand, among other things. The travelling showman is now facing a fine of 4,000 euros, according to the authorities.
Sources:
Direction Générale des Douanes et Droits Indirects | Article in co-operation with Anti-Piracy Analyst
