Even the pandemic has not managed to stop the sale of fake replacement parts, as Daimler, the owner of Mercedes-Benz, found, when announcing a slight increase in the number of confiscated fake replacement parts apparently identical to the original ones it produces.
In total, more than 1.7 million fake or counterfeit pieces were confiscated during 2020 in large hundreds of raids, a slight increase compared to 2019, but really worrying given the atypical 2020 we had. The periods of confinement that almost all countries have gone through forced the cancellation and postponement of many other raids all over the world.
Florian Adt, Director of Legal Product Intellectual Property at Daimler confirms this: “we initiated and supported more than 550 raids carried out by the authorities. It is a slight increase compared to the previous year, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.”
This fight against counterfeit parts by Daimler is not just about the fact that they are illegal.
The company's focus was on recovering parts and components related to the vehicle's safety, such as wheels and brake discs — counterfeit parts may look the same as the originals, but in most cases they have an inferior performance and sometimes don't even meet the requirements. minimum legal requirements, compromising the safety of vehicle occupants.
Pandemic promoted growth in illegal activity
With the pandemic and with many more people at home, online commerce grew significantly, which made this channel more attractive for organized producers of counterfeit items. According to the trade association Unifab, the margins obtained in the production and sale of counterfeit parts often make it possible to achieve higher profit margins than those obtained in the trafficking and sale of drugs.
Also according to Unifab, the production of these components often takes place under inhumane conditions, without regard for human rights, workplace safety or compliance with environmental requirements.
Florian Adt, Intellectual Property Director of Legal Product"We adapted our brand protection strategy and increased our activities in combating counterfeiting in online commerce. We were able to remove 138,000 fake products from online platforms. This is around three times more than in the same period before the pandemic ."
Daimler's Intellectual Property Oversight Unit has a global presence and collaborates closely with customs and other law enforcement agencies.
To avoid purchasing fake parts, Daimler says we should be wary of when the prices of a particular part are too low or the origin of the parts is dubious.