Customs Seizures in Europe

The release of annual EU customs data on counterfeit goods seizures (a growing trend see chart) is not usually of great concern in South East Asia. China and it's little sister Hong Kong usually top the lists as the major sources of fakes and 2011 is no different. After all fake production and export is just a function of where manufacturing takes place, with distribution points like Hong Kong factored in. Last year 115 million items worth 1.3 bn Euros were seized.

Thailand often features somewhere. In previous years it was identified as a source of apparel fakes. This year it is fingered as a source of soft drinks fakes. IP Komodo understand that fake apparel is widely made in Thailand, as his many Bangkok strolls have confirmed, but soft drinks suggests a new angle, or perhaps a one off problem.