Civil Guard units, with the support of forensic experts for the affected brands and local police in Teulada, halted a cache of counterfeit items, including fake clothes, sports equipment, bags, and accessories tied to famous brands. The seizures occurred during inspections of three Benidorm shops and nine stalls at the Moraira street market, with twelve managers connected to the marketplace under investigation for alleged crimes against industrial property.
According to the Alicante Command, authorities at the Calp Civil Guard and Border Patrol traced the illicit sale of counterfeit soccer jerseys to several Benidorm outlets in July. Meanwhile, Moraira’s Civil Guard Post uncovered multiple stalls in the Moraira market selling clothing and leather goods suspected of imitating authentic brands. This effort reflects cross-agency collaboration to curb intellectual property crimes that affect consumers and legitimate manufacturers alike [Source: Guardia Civil].
The compartment where counterfeit goods were concealed has been located in Benidorm.
Agents from both barracks undertook a joint operation, and on 3 August, the Civil Guard, supported by a brand forensic expert, conducted three simultaneous inspections of Benidorm workplaces where irregularities were detected.
In one Benidorm building, investigators found the majority of the hidden merchandise. Counterfeit items were concealed inside wall spaces, covered with wall materials that masked their presence, with counterfeit packages tucked into these concealed compartments for easy concealment and later distribution [Source: Guardia Civil].
Investigations continued the next day with inspections across the Moraira market. With the continued assistance of the forensic expert and the Teulada Local Police, authorities carried out a rapid, surprise operation because counterfeit sellers were actively attempting to evade detection by authorities.
During a market sweep, officials inspected all clothing available to the public, confirming that these items were fakes of well-known brands and possessed a high market value. Sellers were unable to prove legitimate origin or provide documentation showing the goods were procured from authorized distributors to distribute these trademarks [Source: Guardia Civil].
From both operations, a total of 3,470 counterfeit items were seized: 1,772 in Benidorm and 1,698 in Moraira. Some of the seized items belonged to a Paris-based luxury handbag company whose products have never been counterfeited before. Experts noted that while the counterfeit materials were of lower quality than the originals, the craftsmanship was convincing enough to fool potential buyers [Source: Guardia Civil].
The Civil Guard opened inquiries into 12 individuals on multiple counts of crimes against industrial property and transferred the case to the Benidorm courts for further proceedings on the day after the inspections.