Nearly €53 million in counterfeit goods seized in 2022; Big rise in fake facial fillers

Customs officials seized approximately 53 million euros in counterfeit goods last year. The number of items seized nearly doubled in two years, from 850,000 in 2020 to 1.6 million in 2022, according to radio program Misdaadbureau.

An analysis of data from the Customs service showed a wide range of replica items seized, ranging from LEGO sets and Huggy Wuggy stuffed animals to replica alcohol brands and fake Viagra. The Customs office has even seen a 75-fold increase in counterfeit grooming and body care products just since last year.

“We are seeing counterfeit ointments, but also counterfeit face fillers,” said Ronald Broom, the head of anti-counterfeiting organization React, in an interview with the radio show. “Consumers buy these products directly from the manufacturer via the web. The fake items have not been checked for quality and safety, with all the associated risks.”

Serious issues can arise when those fake fillers are used in patients, in place of real fillers developed for a range of different procedures. Problems include disfigurement, but also a potential risk of death.

“Patients who come to us with complications have no idea what they have been injected with 9 times out of 10, and that is not always possible for us to know, either,” said Lizenka Adriaanse, a non-surgical cosmetic physician at the Erasmus Medical Center. “The consequences of a Brazilian butt lift - for which improper products have been used - can be even greater. People have died from it who have been treated abroad.”

Customs officials have also continued to find fake luxury watches, such as those from Rolex, Patel Philippe and Breitling. A total of 700 watches were seized. The economic damage to the brands would represent a hit of over 8 million euros when looking at the real price tags of genuine items.

Some 15,000 replica handbags were also seized, which were made to look like they were genuine items from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and others. The value of those combined would be over 8.5 million euros.

There has also been a jump in replica electronics, like Apple AirPods, but also telephone chargers. Authorities have repeatedly issued warnings about fake phone chargers, which are typically not checked for quality. These can lead to short-circuiting and fires, the Dutch fire brigade and emergency services offices have said in the past.