EU seizing more counterfeit goods

BRUSSELS, July 10 (UPI) -- Customs officers seized 178 million counterfeit items last year that were headed for the 27 nations in the European Union, EU officials say.

A new report published by the European Commission indicates the number of counterfeit seizures increased 125 percent between 2007 and 2008, the EUobserver reported Friday.

At the top of the list were CDs, DVDs, cigarettes and clothing.

DVDs and CDs accounted for 44 percent of confiscated items followed by cigarettes at 23 percent and clothing at 10 percent.

The report said more than half of the fake goods confiscated in 2008 came from China.

A significant part of the confiscated products were potentially dangerous for European consumers, the commission said.

Fake medicine came from India, forged food and drink products were from Indonesia while the United Arab Emirates was listed as the main source of counterfeit cigarettes, the report said.