Ten tons of confiscated counterfeit Legos to be burned at energy plant
World’s largest single seized batch of counterfeit products destroyed
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About ten tons of counterfeit Lego blocks were destroyed at the Kymeenlaakso waste processing plant in Anjalankoski on Thursday. The plastic will be mixed with other waste and burned at a district heating plant in Lahti.
A container full of the Chinese-made copies of the famous Danish interlocking building blocks was seized by Finnish Customs as it was en route from the Port of Hamina to Russia.
Customs officials estimated the average value of the load at about EUR 1.36 million, and said that their market value would be many times that amount.
Johannes Qvist, regional manager of Lego in Finland said that in addition to commercial considerations, the destruction was also a safety issue, as the pirated Legos do not comply with toy safety standards.
"The quality does not meet Lego standards. The plastic is softer, and the small parts, such as the hands of the human figures, come off easily.
Lego spends millions of Danish krona in efforts to track down counterfeit versions of its products, and is also paying for the costs of the destruction.
The use of the destroyed blocks for heating energy was possible after analysis of the plastic determined that the mixture did not contain toxic PVC or cadmium.
Each month, the Anjalankoski plant processes up to ten consignments of confiscated counterfeit products that can be used for energy.
Customs authorities have stopped 110 deluveríes containing 1.1 million packages of various counterfeit products.
The illegal products are usually manufactured in the Far East, and they include an increasing range of goods, which are copies of well-known brand names.
The most common counterfeit products are cigarettes that come via Russia, 80% of which are manufactured in China. Next comes alcoholic beverages, and after that, brand name clothing and shoes.
Last year Finnish Customs estimated the value of the seized counterfeit goods at EUR 30 million. So far this year EUR 25 million of pirated goods have been confiscated.
A container full of the Chinese-made copies of the famous Danish interlocking building blocks was seized by Finnish Customs as it was en route from the Port of Hamina to Russia.
Customs officials estimated the average value of the load at about EUR 1.36 million, and said that their market value would be many times that amount.
Johannes Qvist, regional manager of Lego in Finland said that in addition to commercial considerations, the destruction was also a safety issue, as the pirated Legos do not comply with toy safety standards.
"The quality does not meet Lego standards. The plastic is softer, and the small parts, such as the hands of the human figures, come off easily.
Lego spends millions of Danish krona in efforts to track down counterfeit versions of its products, and is also paying for the costs of the destruction.
The use of the destroyed blocks for heating energy was possible after analysis of the plastic determined that the mixture did not contain toxic PVC or cadmium.
Each month, the Anjalankoski plant processes up to ten consignments of confiscated counterfeit products that can be used for energy.
Customs authorities have stopped 110 deluveríes containing 1.1 million packages of various counterfeit products.
The illegal products are usually manufactured in the Far East, and they include an increasing range of goods, which are copies of well-known brand names.
The most common counterfeit products are cigarettes that come via Russia, 80% of which are manufactured in China. Next comes alcoholic beverages, and after that, brand name clothing and shoes.
Last year Finnish Customs estimated the value of the seized counterfeit goods at EUR 30 million. So far this year EUR 25 million of pirated goods have been confiscated.
Helsingin Sanomat