EU Frontex Operation Seizes Over €17 Million in Counterfeit Goods Across Europe

During the "Pirates 4" operation run by Frontex from 15 to 26 June, authorities in 12 EU member states together with Serbia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom seized more than 1.73 million items worth over €17.4 million. The confiscated goods included clothing, footwear, toys, cosmetics, perfumes, jewellery, watches, mobile phones and hazardous products such as medicines, e‑cigarettes and car parts. In addition, large quantities of undeclared and illegal merchandise—fuel, cigarettes, gold, cash, construction material, food, stolen vehicles, firearms, ammunition, exotic animals and cultural artifacts—were intercepted.

The operation involved national border and customs agencies, Europol, Interpol and the EU Intellectual Property Office. It denied entry to 51 persons, uncovered ten forged travel documents and identified nine overstayers in the EU. Frontex said the crackdown targets one of the most profitable forms of organised cross‑border crime.