Joint operation by the Tax Agency and the National Police

• The agents have arrested 16 people and have inspected 19 establishments where they have located numerous items from well-known brands whose market value exceeds half a million euros

• In a parallel investigation, a wholesale distribution network of counterfeit textile items that were sold in markets in the province of Alicante has also been dismantled.

• Both actions are part of an operational action led by Spain through the National Police related to the fight against counterfeiting of brands and framed in the European initiative EMPACT, to combat the marketing of fake products.

June 3, 2022.- Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency, in a joint operation with Agents of the National Police, has intervened more than 18,000 counterfeit items in commercial establishments in Lloret de Mar ( Gerona). The agents have arrested 16 people and have inspected 19 establishments where they have located numerous items from well-known brands - textiles and leather goods, displayed or stored and ready for sale - whose market value exceeds half a million euros. In a parallel investigation, a wholesale distribution network of counterfeit textile items that were sold in markets in the province of Alicante has also been dismantled. Both actions are part of the European initiative EMPACT, which includes several operational actions regarding trademark counterfeiting, and of which the one that gives rise to these operations is led by Spain through the National Police.

The investigation began last March, when the agents received several complaints made by the legal representatives of different prestigious brands. These complaints were directed against establishments open to the public in Lloret de Mar (Gerona), where numerous counterfeit items were allegedly being stored, offered and marketed.

18,322 seized effects valued at more than 549,660 euros

After several police actions, the agents carried out a police operation that ended with the arrest of 16 people and the inspection of 19 commercial establishments. In them they located numerous counterfeit products from renowned brands that were displayed or stored and perfectly arranged for illicit distribution and marketing. The seized items are mainly textile items and accessories such as t-shirts, pants, sweatshirts, accessories, bags and leather goods that violate the industrial property rights of different well-known brands, and whose market value reaches 549,660 euros.

Furthermore, in the course of the investigation they also located different plates for the "in situ" materialization of the counterfeits, in such a way that, by stamping, die-cutting or gluing, they attached the company's logo. trademark on the leather goods or textile product.

Parallel operation with distribution in markets in the province of Alicante

In a parallel investigation, three people have been arrested and a total of 17,667 counterfeit textile items from well-known brands have been seized. The investigation began after intervening in counterfeit clothing - polo shirts, t-shirts and pants - that were sold in markets in the province of Alicante. After various efforts, the agents located two industrial warehouses where textile products were printed and sold wholesale.

Framed within the European campaign EMPACT OA 3.4 FAKESTAR led by Spain through the National Police

The two actions are part of Operational Action 3.4 FAKESTAR, which fights against the marketing of counterfeit products from recognized brands – specifically offline textiles – led by Spain through the National Police. The FAKESTAR action is part of a large group of European actions to combat the violation of intellectual and industrial property rights and product counterfeiting, all of which is part of the multidisciplinary European initiative EMPACT to combat organized crime in various areas.

The Madrid and Catalonia Customs Surveillance operational units of the Tax Agency and the National Police have participated in the operation.