Austrian customs have seized nearly 45,000 fake Louis Vuitton purses and Versace sunglasses hidden in boxes at Vienna Airport.
The counterfeit products, weighing more than two tonnes, were found inside 73 boxes by customs officers at Vienna International Airport in January.
Officials revealed they had seized 44,830 items branded variously as Louis Vuitton, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, and Adidas.
These included 14,564 counterfeit pairs of sunglasses, 23,060 mobile phone accessories, 1,640 pairs of sports shoes, and 308 luxury handbags.
They were reportedly shipped from China and destined for the Polish market, authorities revealed.
Austrian Finance Minister Magnus Brunner, 50, said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “This case proves the importance of domestic customs.
“Shipments that are only passing through the country on their way to foreign destinations must also be held accountable if they contain goods that do not comply with our regulations.
“With this seizure, our customs officials have once again contributed to protecting trademark rights and ensuring that companies act appropriately.
“The goods have been provisionally confiscated and the owners of the original trademarks have been notified.”
Trademark owners contacted by customs officials following the seizure will reportedly decide the counterfeit products’ fate.
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the worldwide trade in fake goods reaches up to several billion USD per year.
