Fight against piracy

• The Customs Department carried out more than 2,300 operations against the importation of counterfeit merchandise, reported 137 alleged crimes and arrested 124 people for this illegal activity.

• Electronic components, textiles and footwear, and blank discs account for 73% of the seized products

• More than half of the seized merchandise was confiscated at ports and two out of three products came from Asia

February 18, 2015.- The Tax Agency intervened during 2014 more than three million counterfeit products in a total of 2,307 operations (retentions) carried out by the Customs and Excise Department. Had this counterfeit goods reached the market, they would have been worth 151.9 million euros. In the course of these proceedings, 137 reports have also been drawn up, with the corresponding complaints for crimes against intellectual and industrial property, and 124 people allegedly linked to this illegal activity have been arrested.

Aware of the serious economic and social damage that the falsification business constitutes, the Tax Agency fraud control annual plan considers one of its priorities the full control of the import and sale of goods, in order to break up possible black market circuits.

Therefore the Tax Agency carries out a risk profile analysis of all national imports taking into account to the country of origin, type of product, acting parties and many other characteristics of the commercial operation.

Electronics, textiles and footwear account for the majority of seizures

Regarding the distribution of seizures by product group, products related to electronics stand out. In 2014, more than 863,000 counterfeit electronic products were seized (28% of the total).

In turn, more than 545,000 items of clothing, footwear and accessories were seized (18% of the total seized); 152,000 perfume, cosmetic and personal hygiene products; 138,000 glasses; 134,000 electronic toys and games; 43,000 bags, boxes and purses; 39,000 watches; almost 20,000 items of jewellery and 1.1 million products from other categories, including more than 830,000 blank CDs and DVDs (27% of the total).

In terms of the value of the seized products, the most important group is counterfeit watches, which have an estimated value of almost 78 million euros, or 51% of the total. The value of textiles, footwear and accessories seized in 2014 amounts to more than 21.7 million euros (14%); the glasses one more than 14 million euros; perfumery, cosmetics and personal hygiene products, 10.6 million euros; and almost 12 million euros is the estimated value of the seized electronic products.

Counterfeit merchandise by route of entry and origin

Of all the products seized, more than half (51%) were seized at ports, 44% within the national territory and just over 4% at airports. By number of interventions, almost 70% affected commercial air shipments and 29% affected sea shipments. Of all the interventions, just over 20% focused on the luggage of travellers (both by air and sea).

In 2014, two out of three counterfeit products seized came from Asia (66%, compared to 67% in 2013 and 77% in 2012), 21% from Africa and 10% were of unknown origin.

Seizure results by product group:

	2013		2014
	Units	Valuation (in millions of euros)	Units	% / Total	Valuation (in millions of euros)	% / Total
Watches	146.900	110.4	39,500	1%	77.8	51%
Eyewear (includes sunglasses)	355,600	45.9	138,200	5%	14.2	9%
Clothes, footwear and accessories	503.100	28	545,200	18%	21.7	14%
Perfumes and cosmetics	246,400	19.9	152,600	5%	10.6	7%
Bags, boxes and purses	50,700	11.9	43.100	1%	2.8	2%
Electronic equipment and components	275,500	5.6	863.100	28%	12.0	8%
Jewellery	67,200	3.1	19.900	1%	0.6	0.4%
Electronic games and toys	188,700	2.9	134,600	4%	1.1	1%
Other	222.600	3.1	1,117,600	37%	11.1	7%
TOTAL	2,056,800	230.9	3,053,800	100%	151.9	100%

Note: Counterfeit product data does not include tobacco seizures.

 

 

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Customs Supervision: Presentation of charges for smuggling and related offences 

Free telephone no. 900351378

Email: denunciasvigilanciaaduanera@correo.aeat.es

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