Fake goods, real danger: the €83 billion business behind Europe's illicit trade
- Published on 01/09/2026 - 15:00 GMT+2 Nearly 5% of goods entering the EU are fake, costing businesses an estimated €83 billion annually.
- At the port of Alicante, OLAF and Spanish Customs officers sift through shipping containers, hunting for counterfeit products hidden in plain sight among legitimate trade.
- Experts describe illicit trade as a sophisticated global business model, no longer limited to luxury items but now spanning car parts, electronics, pharmaceuticals and food.
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- Published on 01/09/2026 - 15:00 GMT+2 Nearly 5% of goods entering the EU are fake, costing businesses an estimated €83 billion annually.
- At the port of Alicante, OLAF and Spanish Customs officers sift through shipping containers, hunting for counterfeit products hidden in plain sight among legitimate trade.
- Experts describe illicit trade as a sophisticated global business model, no longer limited to luxury items but now spanning car parts, electronics, pharmaceuticals and food.
Sources: Euronews