Almost 20,000 counterfeit goods seized by police in Fuengirola and Mijas and 15 people arrested

Among the fake goods seized were bags, swimming costumes and T-shirts of well-known brands which were reproduced without permission

EUROPA PRESS

Wednesday, 13 July 2022, 12:12 | Updated 17:25h.

National Police officers have seized more than 19,500 counterfeit goods in Fuengirola and Mijas in an operation that led to 15 arrests for alleged crimes against industrial property. Among those being investigated are two distributors based in Mijas Costa, who marketed the products to retailers in the province. The fake goods seized included bags, swimming costumes and T-shirts of well-known brands which were reproduced without authorisation.

In a statement the National Police force, said the operation, called Honeysuckle, was carried out by agents attached to the Group II of Economic Crimes of the provincial police station in Malaga.

The investigation was initiated following a complaint from a representative of several prestigious brands, which had been suffering financial losses due to an increase in counterfeiting on the coast, coinciding with the start of the summer.

During the operation, officers managed to intercept a total of 77 consignments sent by parcel delivery; each package containing around 30 kilos of counterfeit goods. According to the investigators, the goods were destined for two distributors based in Mijas Costa, who sold them to retailers in Malaga province.

In this first phase of the operation, police seized 16,000 counterfeit items that reproduced, without permission, the registered designs of popular brands. Two men, aged 35 and 36, were also arrested for their alleged involvement in an offence against industrial property.

Additionally, on 3 July, officers swooped on the Sunday market in Fuengirola, where more than 3,000 counterfeit products were seized and 13 people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the crime.