site.btaCustoms Officers Seize Nearly 17,000 Counterfeit Wristwatches

Officers from the Burgas Customs Territorial Directorate have seized 16,995 wristwatches imitating the industrial design of a globally recognised brand. The Customs Agency confirmed in a press release on Monday that the items infringe intellectual property rights.

The watches were discovered during a customs inspection of a container carrying goods in transit from China to Turkiye via Bulgaria. The container arrived by sea to Burgas, from where it was to be transported by truck to its final destination.

Following a risk analysis, officers from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department selected the container for a thorough inspection. They found 16,995 mechanical wristwatches resembling the design of a protected trademark among the declared goods. The brand was notified and officially confirmed that the watches had been manufactured in violation of their rights. The seized items are now set to be destroyed under customs control at the owner's expense.

Since the beginning of the year, Burgas Customs officers have seized nearly 1 million commercial items for infringing intellectual property rights, thereby protecting consumers from counterfeit and poor-quality "branded" goods.