Counterfeiting

Health news

Dutch authorities warn against buying fake painkillers online

Counterfeit oxycodone circulating in the Netherlands poses serious health risks, authorities said.

19/03/2025

Health news

Customs officials issue warning about 'erectile honey' flooding France

French authorities made a record bust in 2024, seizing 13 tonnes of honey laced with erectile dysfunction medicine.

21/01/2025

Health news

New study sheds light on illegal online pharmacies selling semaglutide

Researchers looked at the composition of online purchases of semaglutide, the popular drug usually prescribed for diabetes or obesity.

05/08/2024

Culture news

Tintin with pin-ups? French artist condemned for parodying Hergé

“I am stunned by such a decision in French law, which seems to go against the European trend, and very worried about freedom of expression..." A French artist has been sued and ordered to withdraw his works showing Tintin in Edward Hopper's world.

19/07/2024

Art

Spanish police say they have smashed Banksy fakes ring

Officers arrested two people in Zaragoza, where forgeries were allegedly created, and two others suspected of putting fake Banksy artworks on sale for as much as €1,500 apiece.

08/03/2024

Health news

Patients hospitalised after using counterfeit weight-loss drugs

Austria’s health authorities said they had reports that Ozempic counterfeit medicine had reached patients. UK regulators also said a small number of patients were hospitalised.

30/10/2023

Health news

Fake Ozempic pens identified in European countries, EU regulators warn

Ozempic is a diabetes medicine that has been in high demand.

19/10/2023

Culture news

Fighting fashion fakes: How AI is battling counterfeit culture

Growing concerns about the negative effect of fashion fakes on the fashion industry mean some brands are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to help seek out counterfeit products.

12/07/2023

Spain

Spain dismantles Ukrainian refugee exploitation network

Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion were 'crammed' into factories, while leaders of the illicit network led a "life of luxury", say Spanish police.

22/01/2023

Tech News

Amazon hit by EU court over knock-off Louboutins

Amazon has been in trouble with the ECJ more than once, along with multiple other tech giants.

22/12/2022

Italy

Nurse arrested in Italy after 'faking COVID vaccinations'

Police in Italy say they have arrested a nurse in Sicily suspected of carrying out fake vaccinations for people to obtain a certificate without being jabbed

15/01/2022

Belgium

Belgian customs arrest 45, seize million of counterfeit cigarettes

A Belgian official described the operation as the biggest ever conducted in the country which has become a hub for cigarette trafficking to neighbouring countries.

04/08/2021

Bulgaria

Police seize millions in counterfeit money made at Bulgaria university

The prosecutor’s office said the amount of counterfeit money taken in was $4 million and €3.6 million.

17/03/2021

Business Planet

Protecting creativity: how to stop the copycats

In partnership with The European Commission

Business planet takes a look at how EU firms can protect their intellectual property from copycats, both home and abroad.

08/01/2021

Next Series

Preventing food fraud: Europe's battle against fake spices

In partnership with The European Commission

Food fraud is a serious issue, including in the spice industry; with ingredients like saffron worth their weight in gold - literally - counterfeit spices needed to be guarded against. Furutis visits the lab in the Netherlands doing just that as part of an EU project.

02/11/2020

World News

EU countries lose €15bn in tax revenues to counterfeiting: report

Although the economic losses to counterfeiting are huge, the bloc's intellectual property office also flagged that the consequences on public health, consumer safety and the environment are "even more serious".

10/06/2020

No Comment

Spanish police uncover underground counterfeit cigarette factory

It's thought to be the first of its kind in the European Union

21/02/2020

Germany

European police arrest 11 in counterfeit euro banknotes investigation

The criminal group had sold more than 26,000 counterfeit banknotes worth €1.3 million

16/12/2019

France

#MovieMoney: French police warn of fake bank notes in circulation

Fake bank notes create filmic furore. Made to be used in films, the shonky sheets have been circulated in eastern France and beyond

20/11/2019

World News

EU customs seized €740 million worth of fake goods in 2018

Pierre Moscovici, the Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs added that the job of customs officers "is made even more difficult by the rise in small packages entering the EU through online sales."

20/09/2019