Irish police seize more than $170,000in counterfeit Apple products

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Reports of counterfeiting in County Mayo, western Ireland, have led local police to seize more than 800 counterfeit devices, including AirPods, from businesses in the area.

A table displays numerous boxed electronics, including headphones and smartphones, against a backdrop with a police logo and community engagement message.
A sample of the counterfeit Apple products seized in the raid -- image credit: An Garda Sachna



According to local radio station Newstalk, the seized counterfeits were worth an estimated $173,904. As well as AirPods, they included various iPhone accessories,

The counterfeits were seized over Thursday and Friday, October 17 and 18, 2024. Police raided businesses across Castlebar, Westport, Ballinrobe and Claremorris

It was a multi-agency operation, centered on the local police crime unit that covers the counties of Mayo, Roscommon, and Longford. The investigation also used the Garda National Immigration Bureau, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation Revenue, Workplace Relations Commission, and the Social Welfare Special Investigations Unit.

A police spokesperson estimated that overall, intellectual property crime such as these counterfeit products costs the EU economy over 85 billion Euro ($92.4 billion) per year.

No arrests have yet been made, but the police investigation is ongoing.

This case in Ireland follows one in May 2024 where similar counterfeits worth $750,000 were seized in raids in Northern Ireland.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 1
    Panner_NuddingPanner_Nudding Posts: 18member
    How exactly is the price counterfeit products calculated? Is that the price if they were legit apple products? Is it what the people sale them for? Is it a number that authorities arbitrarily gave them and the amount can be argued in court for reduced or increased the punishment? 
    jamnap
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