More than 200,000 counterfeit condoms of Chinese origin have been found circulating across Europe. The products bore stolen brand names and had been falsely declared as "toys" at customs, an investigation found.
According to the EU's anti-fraud office OLAF, authorities in Romania, Serbia and Spain seized the counterfeit condoms and traced them to a single supplier in China. OLAF announced the findings Tuesday local time.
OLAF said the condoms had been distributed using well-known brand names and logos without authorization, though it did not disclose which brands had been copied.
The seized condoms numbered more than 200,000 and had a market value exceeding 200,000 euros ($229,000). All came from the same Chinese supplier and were listed as "toys" in customs declarations.
OLAF Director Petr Klement warned that counterfeit condoms "are not safe because they do not undergo testing and quality control," adding that they "can lead to the spread of sexually transmitted infections."
OLAF said the seized products failed to meet EU quality requirements for medical devices, including tests for shelf life, stability and contamination.
EU authorities said counterfeit medical products pose a threat to consumer health and public safety beyond simple trademark infringement, and said they would continue investigating the distribution networks involved.
sjy@heraldcorp.com
