In June 2024, Austrian customs officers seized 4.500 counterfeit stuffed animals at Vienna Airport. The shipment from South Korea was destroyed after the rights holders were notified.
This incident is part of the international Operation Ludus IV, in which Austria participated from September 2023 to January 2024. During this period, 4.490 risk-based checks were carried out, mainly on goods from China, as well as individual items from Hong Kong and Singapore.
Finance Minister Magnus Brunner stressed the dangers of counterfeit toys, which often contain inferior materials and disregard safety standards. Counterfeit toys can lead to serious health risks such as burns, cuts or poisoning. According to Brunner, the controls are an important contribution to protecting children.
In addition, five shipments were not released in Austria due to product piracy. The goods were either destroyed or returned to the sender if they had security deficiencies. Operation Ludus IV, coordinated by Europol, OLAF and the World Customs Organization, underscores international cooperation in the fight against product piracy.
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