Mercedes-Benz seized virtually two hundreds of thousands counterfeit merchandise it says “endanger the well being of street customers” globally in 2021.
The German carmaker lately confirmed greater than 650 customs and regulation enforcement raids of counterfeit merchandise occurred in 2021 globally, equating to over 1.86 million counterfeit elements.
In comparison with the 1.7 million counterfeit elements have been confiscated in 2020, that’s a rise of near 10 per cent.
Counterfeit merchandise are elements are marketed and bought to shoppers as in the event that they’re OEM objects, once they in actual fact are sometimes manufactured extra cheaply and supply worse efficiency.
They’re to not be confused with aftermarket elements, that are supplied by third-party suppliers as an alternative choice to OEM elements.
Mercedes-Benz says it has been taking “rigorous motion towards counterfeit merchandise”, together with specializing in safety-critical parts resembling brake discs, wheels, and physique and steering elements.
“The counterfeiting trade has organised crime constructions and sometimes generates greater income than drug trafficking, stated Mercedes-Benz Group AG member of the board of managment, integrity and authorized affairs, Renata Jungo Brüngger.
The German automaker says product pirates, individuals, or firms that producer and distribute imitation and counterfeit items, have more and more been utilizing on-line platforms and social media channels to succeed in unwitting prospects.
In 2021, greater than 126,000 counterfeit merchandise have been faraway from on-line platforms in response to Ms Jungo Brüngger.
“Our model safety consultants have shortly tailored to the counterfeiting trade’s rising enterprise mannequin,” stated Ms Jungo Brüngger.
Mercedes-Benz says it may be “onerous to visually distinguish” counterfeit merchandise from real elements, however their high quality is often poor, and alleges they usually don’t meet the minimal authorized necessities by way of security.
The counterfeit elements are usually additionally manufactured beneath inhumane situations with no regard to human rights, environmental requirements, and occupational security, in response to Mercedes-Benz.
As beforehand detailed, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), peak physique for automotive manufacturers in Australia, has been working with the Australian Border Power (ABF) to coach frontline officers to recognise counterfeit elements as a part of a marketing campaign known as Real is Greatest.
Examples of harmful counterfeit merchandise which have beforehand been recognized by the ABF embody wheels that shatter in low-speed pothole impacts, oil filters that don’t filter oil, and brake parts containing asbestos.
In a single case, the group even discovered brake pads manufactured from compressed grass clippings.
‘There’s a tendency in the neighborhood to view counterfeit items as innocent, or victimless crimes buts that is deceptive,” stated an ABF spokesperson in an announcement from September 2021.
“Counterfeit automobile elements, specific these designed for emergency response, for instance brake pads or airbags, pose important security dangers and these client and broader group impacts might be important, and generally deadly.”
MORE: FCAI warns of surge in counterfeit automotive elements