Report: Gang stole counterfeits from French customs to sell on

A gang operating in France is accused of stealing counterfeit goods confiscated by customs, selling them on via Facebook, according to news reports.

Nine people in the Dunkirk area have been arrested in connection with the investigation, according to French news website Europe1, which says they are suspected of having stolen goods over a two-year period from a storage depot used by customs.

The diverted counterfeits included perfumes, football shirts, cigarettes and spirits and were destined for destruction. Instead, the accused intercepted them – stealing pallet loads in broad daylight – and sold them on via Facebook and other online platforms, says the newswire.

It is estimated that the gang turned over around €40,000 (around $47,000) per month from the activity – which in itself serves as a marker for the sheer volume of counterfeits being intercepted at Europe’s borders.