Seoul police seize 8.89 billion won in counterfeit luxury goods

The Seoul Special Judicial Police have seized 7,369 counterfeit luxury items from an underground warehouse in Jangan-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, marking the largest seizure of its kind in the agency's history. The confiscated goods, including bags, wallets, sunglasses, and perfumes, have an estimated authentic market value of approximately 8.89 billion won.

Investigators identified many of the items as ‘mirror-grade’ counterfeits, which are high-quality imitations designed to closely resemble genuine products. A man in his 50s has been booked for violating trademark laws and is being referred to the prosecution. The suspect reportedly attempted to distribute the goods nationwide using online live broadcasts on platforms like YouTube through a network of dedicated sellers.

Authorities noted a shift in counterfeit crime from small-scale street stalls to organized, large-scale operations utilizing massive warehouses and digital distribution networks. Despite the suspect's claims that some items were authentic, the police confirmed their status through re-evaluation with overseas trademark holders. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to continue its investigation using digital forensics to trace the supply chain and identify additional distributors.