Counterfeit goods market in Mexico

The National Chamber of the Transformation Industry (Canacintra) has identified a massive counterfeit market in Mexico, estimating that annual piracy sales exceed 63 billion pesos. Canacintra President Lourdes Medina Ortega noted that the illicit trade affects various sectors, including textiles, pharmaceuticals, and electronics, with potential losses reaching 124 billion pesos in 2025. The organization highlighted that tax evasion in the tobacco sector alone exceeds 23 billion pesos annually and noted the growing role of social media platforms in facilitating these sales.

In response to such intellectual property violations, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) conducted ‘Operación Limpieza’ (Operation Cleaning), resulting in the destruction of 153,655 counterfeit items valued at approximately 19 million pesos. The seized goods, which included clothing, footwear, and toys, were largely recovered from operations in Tepito and Puebla. Following the seizures, Rafael Torre Lamuño, president of the National Chamber of the Textile Industry (Canaintex), called for total traceability and transparency in the destruction process to prevent corruption and ensure products do not re-enter the market.