The Spanish police have uncovered a large network for brand piracy in Europe in the Canary Islands. Around five tons of luxury items counterfeited in China with a total value of around half a billion euros were confiscated in Tenerife and Fuerteventura, said the representative of the Spanish central government in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, on Tuesday. This is the largest amount of counterfeit branded goods ever confiscated in Europe, Pestana said.
In action "django" A total of 17 people, including the three Chinese leaders of the gang, were arrested. The goods were found in 14 shops, four warehouses and three private homes, Pestana said. In addition, 70,000 euros in cash and three vehicles were secured. The gang had specialized in selling counterfeit branded goods in China, especially in Spanish tourist areas. Counterfeit watches or textiles are often bought while on vacation abroad, according to a representative survey published in August by the management consultancy EY.
The smuggling of counterfeit branded goods is a billion dollar business at the expense of the companies involved. According to the EU Intellectual Property Agency (EUIPO) in Alicante, southern Spain, EU authorities confiscated a total of 66 million counterfeit items in 2020, mainly from China and other Asian countries. (dpa)