Customs officers and the Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ČOI) carried out a major joint raid on April 30 at the Sapa marketplace in Prague. The operation focused on violations of intellectual property rights.
Officials inspected five metal containers in a back section of the market. No one responded to repeated loudspeaker calls, so officers called a locksmith to open the locks.
Customs officers took control of four containers. Inside, they found more than 17,000 counterfeit items. The estimated value—based on genuine products—reached nearly CZK 35 million.
The fake goods included clothing, footwear, leather accessories, perfumes, and other products. Many bore logos of well-known brands such as NIKE, CHANEL, DIOR, CALVIN KLEIN, and ADIDAS. In one container, officers also discovered counterfeit toys.
ČOI reported that one of the containers held 1,800 fake items with an estimated retail value of CZK 9.1 million. Nearly 40 customs officers and 10 ČOI staff took part in the operation.
The case remains under investigation.
Photo credit: The Customs Administration of the Czech Republic
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