The Fiscal Action Unit (UAF) of the Republican National Guard (GNR), through its Fiscal Action Detachments in Porto, Coimbra, Lisbon, Évora, and Faro, conducted an operation in August that unveiled 18 counterfeiting crimes and resulted in the seizure of approximately 2,233 counterfeit items in various municipalities across the country.
This operation focused on fairs, markets, shops, and their access points in the municipalities of Paços de Ferreira, Montalegre, Viseu, Mafra, Caldas da Rainha, Almada, Évora, Faro, and Silves. The aim was to prevent and combat the phenomenon of counterfeiting and piracy, minimizing the economic damage caused by this type of illicit trade, according to a statement by the GNR on Tuesday.
A total of 57 inspection actions were conducted, involving 140 military personnel from the Fiscal Action Detachments of Porto, Coimbra, Lisbon, Évora, and Faro.
Twelve fairs, markets, and shops were inspected, as well as 558 vehicles.
The actions led to the detection of various criminal and administrative offenses, highlighting 18 counterfeiting crimes, 14 for violations of the Goods in Circulation Regime (RBC), one for an infraction of the Alcoholic Beverages Tax (IABA), two for violations of the Mandatory Periodic Inspection (IPO), and one for violation of road legislation.
A total of 2,233 counterfeit items and five liters of spirits were seized.
Seizures of Counterfeit Products Soar 398% in 2024
The report by the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GAC), approved in April, indicates that the number of seizures of counterfeit products in Portugal in 2024 increased by 398% compared to the previous year, reaching the highest value since 2016.
According to the document, authorities seized a total of 3,264,653 counterfeit products in 2024, worth over 6 million euros. In 2023, seizures amounted to 655,000 products.
The seizure of tobacco and tobacco-related products showed the largest increase, with a surge of 15,992.57%, equating to 424,361 more products than in 2023.
Another significant increase was observed in the counterfeiting of clothing, footwear, packaging, labels, and tags, with seizures rising by 906.7%. Counterfeiting of mobile phones rose by 476.81%, and perfumes and cosmetic products increased by 448.59%.
Despite the exponential rise, no CDs, DVDs, cassettes, or games were seized, and the seizure of alcoholic beverages and foodstuffs decreased by 73%.
The figures recorded in 2024 mark the largest increase since 2016, a year with over 10 million seizures, and the report highlights that “counterfeiting continues to grow strongly, associated with the rise of e-commerce.”
The seizures resulted from actions carried out by the Food and Economic Security Authority (ASAE), the Tax and Customs Authority (AT), the GNR, the Public Security Police (PSP), the Judiciary Police (PJ), and the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI).
