Mexican authorities combat counterfeit goods

Mexican federal and local authorities have conducted multiple operations to seize allegedly counterfeit merchandise and protect intellectual property rights.

In late October, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, the Mexico City Secretariat of Citizen Security, and the Secretariat of the Navy carried out ‘Operación Limpieza’ in the Miguel Hidalgo and Iztapalapa boroughs. These raids at specific commercial establishments resulted in the seizure of 8,254 products valued at approximately 728,935 pesos. The items, which included sportswear, toys, and eyewear, allegedly infringed upon brands such as Adidas, Nike, and Disney.

In early November, federal enforcement expanded to the Lázaro Cárdenas port in Michoacán. During inspections of containers arriving from Hong Kong, the National Customs Agency of Mexico, the Secretariat of the Navy, the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection, and the Attorney General's Office conducted two major inspections.

The first container, declared as containing pens, yielded 22,865 items, including 4,700 high-end watches, 4,500 headphones, 9,870 electronic accessories, 3,650 pairs of sneakers, and 145 costumes. A second container yielded an additional 10,232 products, consisting of 10,100 headphones and 132 pairs of sneakers. In total, 33,097 allegedly counterfeit items were seized. The goods have been placed at the disposal of the FGR to determine their legal status as part of a strategy to combat illicit trade and strengthen customs inspections.