- Over 1.6 million counterfeit Mercedes parts seized
Worldwide, over 1.6 million counterfeit products of Mercedes-Benz were seized last year. Customs and law enforcement agencies conducted nearly 740 raids - an increase of about 20% compared to 2022, as reported by the Stuttgart-based automaker. The number of seized counterfeit products remained roughly at the same level as the previous year. For comparison: in 2021, it was around 1.86 million.
Mercedes is actively fighting against trademark and product counterfeiting, particularly those that could pose safety risks to road users. In 2023, for instance, paper air filters that could cause severe accidents upon installation were seized. Counterfeit brake parts, wheels, body parts, and steering components were also confiscated. Such parts are subsequently destroyed.
According to the company, these actions often follow months of investigations. Mercedes' brand protection team, for example, scrutinizes offers on websites or tracks down the factories of counterfeiters. The team provides these findings to the authorities, who then carry out the raids.
Chief: Counterfeiters endanger safety
Renata Jungo Brüngger, Mercedes-Benz's Chief of Integrity, Governance, and Sustainability, stated: "The counterfeit industry generates enormous margins and exhibits the structures of organized crime." It endangers road safety, disregards environmental concerns, and does not stand for fair wages or workplace safety.
- Despite the significant seizure of counterfeit Mercedes-Benz products, the manufacture of motor vehicles imitating the brand's trademarks continues to pose a threat, necessitating continuous vigilance and action from Mercedes and law enforcement agencies.
- The manufacture of motor vehicle components, such as brake parts, wheels, and body parts, is a common practice in the counterfeit industry, posing a significant danger to road safety and putting the authentic Mercedes-Benz manufacture at risk ofmarket dilution.
