From Labubu to Apple Watch: one million fake items seized in Genoa
Counterfeit goods worth EUR 3.5 million were seized in the streets of the centre of the Ligurian capital
From Gucci and Louis Vuitton clothing to Apple smartwatches and the highly sought-after Labubu. The Guardia di Finanza of Genoa seized one million articles, worth EUR 3.5 million, all counterfeit but 'reproduced with techniques likely to mislead the consumer'.
The operation lasted three months
This is the result of a three-month activity in the streets of Genoa city centre, from Via Adua to Piazza Caricamento. These are areas, explains the Gdf, 'characterised by a high concentration of commercial activities and pedestrian flow and, therefore, potentially at high risk of illegal sales of counterfeit goods and marketing of unsafe products'.
Twenty-seven people were reported for receiving and counterfeiting offences, while six were reported to the Chamber of Commerce for administrative violations. Penalties exceeded EUR 11,000.
From Apple Products to Labubu
As for the material seized, there are the 'classic' counterfeit garments of well-known international brands, such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Nike and Adidas. All 'made from poor quality materials'.
Then, several fake electronic devices, especially from Apple, such as the AirPods earphones or the smartwatch. Or 'smartphone accessories without the CE marking, potentially dangerous for the end user due to the absence of adequate electrical protection systems'. But there are also 13,500 Labubu, collectible soft toys that have gone viral on social media. Just a few days ago, 10,000 of them were seized in Palermo.
