Customs confiscate counterfeit sneakers
In late April, German customs reported a new seizure: officials stopped around 40 pairs of counterfeit sports shoes close to the border between Germany and the Czech Republic. According to Anna-Sophie Dreischarf, spokesperson for the main customs office in Erfurt, customs officials had become suspicious due to the poor quality and chemical smell of the products.
According to the authorities, the counterfeit products, which bore the US brand Nike, had been purchased in the Czech Republic by two men from Saxony. Customs say that the confiscated products will be destroyed, and the two men could now face consequences under civil law.
Just a short time earlier, Hamburg customs had also reported a seizure of counterfeit Nike shoes: According to the authorities, officials had confiscated over 15,000 counterfeits of the brand-name sneakers in the previous months. The counterfeits were intercepted during inspections of container shipments from China, alongside various counterfeit toys, before the products could hit the European market. Brand owners confirmed the officials’ suspicion of counterfeiting and requested the destruction of the goods.
According to reports, the trade in counterfeit brand sneakers can often be very lucrative. Such counterfeits are apparently advertised on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, among others.
Source:
Erfurt Main Customs Office, Hamburg Main Customs Office
Article in cooperation with the Anti-Piracy Analyst
