Luxembourg customs officers intercepted 89,010 counterfeit items in 2024, according to Finance Minister Gilles Roth, who revealed the figure in response to a parliamentary question from Pirate Party MP Sven Clement.
While the customs administration does not categorise the seized goods by type, officials say most of the fakes are items of clothing, sports shoes, and bags – a trend that has remained consistent in recent years.
Counterfeit seizures over the past five years
The sharp increase in confiscations in 2023 and 2024, compared to previous years, is largely attributed to the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, which saw a resurgence in cross-border trade and customs checks.
Authorities do not record which brands are most frequently counterfeited, but the majority of seized items originate from China, Turkey and Vietnam. The Ministry of Finance estimates the total value of counterfeit goods seized over the past five years at more than €30 million.
All counterfeit branded goods are destroyed in Luxembourg. The cost of destroying fake luxury products over the past five years has amounted to around €10,000.
(This article was originally published by the Luxemburger Wort. Translated using AI, and edited Kabir Agarwal)