In 2023, approximately one million counterfeit Swiss watches were confiscated globally, marking a notable stride in the ongoing battle against counterfeit goods. The majority of these

intercepted replicas originate from China and Hong Kong. However, this year witnessed new breakthroughs in the crackdown on fake Swiss watches in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt.

The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry prioritizes the fight against counterfeit timepieces as a critical concern. Despite over half of the seizures still being linked to imitations from China and Hong Kong, significant progress was made in other key nations. Notably, 150,000 watches were seized in Saudi Arabia, 62,000 in Turkey, and 25,000 in Egypt.

President Jean-Daniel Pasche highlighted these statistics in a report to the Keystone-SDA news agency, affirming that the association diligently monitors online platforms and social media for fraudulent "Swiss Made" watches. Additionally, the association conducts specialized training programs for customs and law enforcement officers across various countries.

Following the pandemic, training initiatives have transitioned from purely virtual setups to include face-to-face classes. Sessions have been conducted in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Belgium, Hungary, Turkey, and with a particular focus on Malaysia in Asia. Notably, the previous year saw training programs in Peru, Portugal, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

Counterfeiting is not limited to the watch industry; it extends to various sectors such as pharmaceuticals, films, music, and fashion. Even tourists purchasing counterfeit "Swiss Made" watches abroad are not exempt from potential confiscations upon returning to Switzerland. Pasche emphasized that confiscations occur at Swiss borders, highlighting the stringent measures taken to combat counterfeit goods within the country. Photo by Nichtvermittelbar, Wikimedia commons.