Blankenberge (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – At Blankenberge’s Havenfeesten, police and FPS Economy found 707 fake items at 2 of 4 stalls checked. Police Commissioner Jan Martens warns that sellers face fines, legal action, and product destruction.
As VRT News reported, at the Havenfeesten in Blankenberge, province of West Flanders, Belgium, which has a big flea market, the police and the FPS Economy checked for fake goods. Police Commissioner Jan Martens said they checked 4 stalls. 2 of the stalls followed all the rules. But the other 2 stalls had problems.
The police found 707 fake items at these stalls. These items included toys, key rings, wristbands, caps, pens, sunglasses, and pencils. These fake items often look like popular brands or characters, and they can trick people into buying them. They mentioned that this can be bad for real businesses and can also put buyers at risk.
Will police and the FPS economy stop the sale of fake goods at markets?
After the checks, the police will write reports about the stalls that sold fake goods. Officials mentioned that this could lead to legal action against the vendors. The fake items that were taken will probably be destroyed. This is to stop them from being sold again.
The police and the FPS Economy want to make sure trade is fair and that people are safe from fake products. By stopping the sale of fakes at events like the Havenfeesten, they want to show that they won’t allow illegal trade. They said that this helps the local economy and makes sure that products are safe, because fake items often don’t meet safety rules.
According to police spokesperson Martens, sellers usually buy these fakes in bulk from Chinese websites and then sell them locally for more money. Many sellers think that if the goods pass through customs, they can sell them legally. But Martens says this is wrong. Customs can’t check every package for fakes; they have other priorities, so many fake products get through without being noticed.
According to the Police, they will keep checking for fake goods in the future. Sellers must make sure their products are legal. It’s not okay to say they didn’t know or to blame customs. Selling fake products breaks the law and can lead to trouble, like losing the goods, big fines, or even going to court.
Martens says these checks protect buyers and keep the market fair. Sellers who sell fakes, knowingly or not, are part of a bigger fraud, affect real businesses, and trick customers. That’s why the police take these violations seriously and will keep a close watch at local events.
