A sample of the counterfeit Apple products seized in the raid — image credit: An Garda Sachna
Counterfeiting in County Mayo, western Ireland, has resulted in the seizure of over 800 counterfeit devices, including AirPods, from local businesses.
Reported by local radio station Newstalk, the seized counterfeit items were valued at approximately $173,904 and included various iPhone accessories.
The raids took place on October 17 and 18, 2024, across Castlebar, Westport, Ballinrobe, and Claremorris.
This multi-agency operation involved the local police crime unit for Mayo, Roscommon, and Longford counties, alongside various other agencies such as the Garda National Immigration Bureau and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
A police spokesperson estimated that intellectual property crimes like counterfeiting cost the EU economy over 85 billion Euro ($92.4 billion) annually.
No arrests have been made yet, and the police investigation is ongoing.
This case in Ireland follows a similar incident in May 2024, where counterfeits worth $750,000 were seized in raids in Northern Ireland.