Counterfeit exporter had distributed over 200,000 condoms across Europe.
The European Anti-Fraud Office, OLAF, announced Tuesday that it had broken up an international counterfeit condom trafficking operation.
“Counterfeit condoms are dangerous. They are untested, uncontrolled and unsafe,” OLAF Director-General Petr Klement said.
The office said it had identified more than 200,000 counterfeit condoms sold across Europe under a well-known brand. The items originated from a common source in China and Chinese authorities collaborated with the EU to identify the exporter. “OLAF managed to disrupt a significant inflow of condoms,” the statement said, without saying whether the exporter is now facing legal action.
The watchdog added that, working with national customs authorities, it had seized counterfeit products in Spain, Romania and Serbia.
Condoms are classified as medical devices in the EU and must meet specific quality-control standards. A 2024 report by WHO Europe found an “alarming decline” in condom use among teenagers in Europe since 2014.