Novi Sad: 17,200 counterfeit branded items seized

Police in Novi Sad have arrested a man identified by the initials A. M. (53) on suspicion that he sold counterfeit luxury goods for years. The arrest followed a coordinated operation in which several locations across the city were searched. During those searches, officers found a large quantity of goods bearing the forged markings of well-known international brands.

According to the investigation, 17,200 items were seized from the suspect. They included clothing, stickers, labels and transfer foils printed with fake trademarks. Such material makes it possible to pass off cheap, non-original goods as products of established fashion houses and sell them at a much higher price.

The suspect is charged with the unauthorized use of another company’s business name and special product or service markings. Guilt, it should be stressed, has not been established by a final ruling. After questioning, the case is handed to the competent prosecutor’s office, which decides on the next steps.

Why is a seizure like this more than a routine raid?

Brand counterfeiting is not a harmless trade in copies. Forged goods cause material damage to intellectual property rights holders and undermine the legitimate market. Buyers, for their part, pay for a product of dubious quality and origin, with no guarantee and no protection.

A haul of 17,200 items suggests this was not a one-off sale but organized sourcing and distribution. The transfer foils and blank labels are particularly telling. They show that the counterfeiting was carried out in stages, with the markings applied to the goods later. That also makes detection harder, because the goods look neutral until the last moment.

The Novi Sad operation is part of a wider effort against this form of economic crime. In such cases, police work with customs authorities and market inspectors, since counterfeits often move through import and wholesale channels before reaching the end buyer.

How can shoppers spot and report suspicious goods?

For consumers, the most important thing is to be cautious when a price is strikingly lower than the market rate and the sale takes place outside authorized stores and official online platforms. A missing receipt, original packaging and product declaration are further signs that something is off.

Suspected counterfeit goods can be reported to the market inspectorate or the police. Every report helps break up such chains before large quantities reach the street. In the Novi Sad case, it was precisely inspection and oversight that led to the seizure and arrest.

The investigation is ongoing, and the suspect remains a person against whom preliminary proceedings are being conducted. Next time, will you double-check where a product comes from before buying it at a suspiciously low price?