Record in Counterfeits: Over 128,000 Products Seized in 2024
According to the Ministry of Finance report, this is the third-highest value since records began. A total of 6,327 shipments were intercepted under the EU Product Piracy Regulation, resulting in 9,974 proceedings.
By far the largest share of the shipments consists of counterfeits that are distributed directly over the internet. With 6,223 packages, they account for about 98 percent of all shipments through which counterfeit products were sent, however, their share of the number of counterfeit items (12,443) was significantly lower at just under 10 percent.
Particular Concern About Counterfeit Medicines
The ministry is particularly concerned about the numerous counterfeit medicines coming to Austria. "Counterfeit and illegal medicines not only cause economic damage to the pharmaceutical industry but also pose a significant threat to public health, as they are often not prepared according to the relevant formulations and may contain dangerous ingredients," the ministry writes in the report.
378,109 pieces of counterfeit and other illegal medicines were seized last year. Although this is only about half as much as in 2023 (801,863 pieces), the number of interceptions increased by 6 percent to 7,147 shipments.
21 Pallets of Detergent Intercepted
In 2024, customs intercepted not only classic products affected by piracy such as handbags, shoes, clothing, and watches but also some unusual items - including 21 pallets of detergent weighing 16,300 kilograms, which were supposed to be sent from Turkey to a wholesaler in Germany, or 6,000 potency pills, 50 kilograms of smoking tobacco, and more than 170,000 cigarettes that travelers wanted to bring in from Cairo.
According to the ministry, potency and fertility-enhancing products are at the top of the list of pharmaceuticals intercepted by customs, followed by sleeping and sedative drugs as well as pain and anti-inflammatory medications.
(APA/Red)
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