Shampoo and hair care appliances seized

Customs officials on Friday seized two containers at Malta Freeport after finding them to be carrying more than 490 boxes full of counterfeit shampoo bottles and small appliances.

265 boxes were found containing a total of 18,720 bottles of shampoo bearing two popular trademarks of hair-care brands.

Another 227 boxes seized contained a total of 8,912 items of hair care devices such as hair dryers, straightness and shavers, and bearing five popular trademarks of hair care products.

All the brands were found to be breaching the Intellectual Property rights – Cross border measures (IPR) Laws.

The cargo was transiting through Malta when the containers were screened by Malta customs officials.

Upon inspection, the items were discovered to be counterfeit and were immediately seized.

Legal action has been registered in the Civil Courts by the trademarks’ legal representatives involved in terms of the applicable IPR Laws.

This is the second seizure of its kind in the span of a few weeks.

Last month, two containers carrying 14 tonnes of counterfeit cigarettes and 24 tonnes of counterfeit washing powder were seized by customs officials while transiting through the Malta Freeport.