KARACHI: Pakistan Customs has destroyed counterfeit and pirated goods worth around Rs31.5 million in Karachi as part of an enforcement drive against intellectual property rights violations.
The Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement (IPRE) carried out the destruction at Gadap in Malir under the supervision of Muneeza Majeed, Director IPRE South, in the presence of Customs officials and representatives of rights holders and international brands.
The goods had been seized during different enforcement operations and included counterfeit handbags, wallets, watches, footwear, clothing and accessories carrying the names of major international brands, including Louis Vuitton, Skechers, Adidas, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Rado, Rolex and Ray-Ban.
Counterfeit cosmetics and personal-care products linked to brands such as Huda Beauty, Mocallure, Johnson & Johnson and Neutrogena were also among the seized items.
Officials said such products can pose risks to consumers because their ingredients, manufacturing standards and authenticity cannot be reliably verified.
The destroyed consignments also included counterfeit industrial products, including EZ-Weld CPVC Cement and Korenesh carbide paper, which Customs said raised concerns over safety, quality and performance.
Pirated copies of Oxford University Press textbooks were also destroyed for copyright infringement.
According to Customs, the infringing goods were disposed of through prescribed methods, including crushing and burning.
Muneeza Majeed said counterfeit and pirated products harm consumers, legitimate businesses, intellectual property owners and the wider economy.
She said counterfeit cosmetics and industrial products can create public safety concerns, while piracy affects authors, publishers and the education sector.
Majeed reaffirmed that the Directorate would continue enforcement action and coordination with rights holders to curb the circulation of counterfeit and pirated goods.
The destruction followed an interactive session hosted by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry on September 28 with a delegation from the Directorate General of IPRE led by Director General Abdul Qadir Memon and Muneeza Majeed.
During the session, OICCI representatives raised concerns over counterfeit imports, misdeclaration and undervaluation, and called for stronger coordination, improved information sharing and better counterfeit-detection training.
The Customs delegation briefed participants on the IPRE’s role in border enforcement and the legal procedures available to rights holders seeking action against suspected infringing goods.
The discussion also covered complaint filing, examination of suspected goods, enforcement powers and recent seizures.
Representatives of member companies and international rights holders shared challenges related to brand protection and discussed ways to improve cooperation and speed up information sharing with Customs.
Pakistan Customs said the latest destruction was part of its continuing efforts to strengthen intellectual property enforcement, protect consumers and reduce the circulation of counterfeit and pirated products in the market.