STUTTGART (dpa-AFX) - More than 1.6 million counterfeit Mercedes-Benz products were confiscated worldwide last year. Customs and law enforcement authorities carried out a good 740 raids - almost 20 percent more than in 2022, according to the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer. The number of counterfeit products seized was roughly on a par with the previous year. In comparison: in 2021 there were a good 1.86 million.

Mercedes is systematically taking action against counterfeit brands and products - especially against safety-relevant counterfeits that can be dangerous for road users. In 2023, for example, air filters made of paper were seized, which can cause serious accidents after installation. Counterfeit brake parts, wheels and body and steering parts were also seized. Such parts are therefore destroyed.

According to the company, the actions are often preceded by months of investigations. The brand protection officers at Mercedes check offers on websites, for example, or track down the counterfeiters' factories. The team makes the results available to the authorities who carry out the raids.

Board member: Counterfeiters jeopardize safety

Mercedes-Benz Board Member for Integrity, Governance and Sustainability, Renata Jungo Brüngger, said: "The counterfeiting industry generates enormous margins and has the structures of organized crime." It endangers road safety, shows no consideration for the environment and stands for neither fair wages nor occupational safety./jwe/DP/zb