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GOODS ACROSS BORDERS

ITEM RULE · TRAVELING

PROHIBITED

Counterfeit Goods 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

VERIFIED · 2026-04-25HIGH CONFIDENCE

Illegal to import counterfeit goods

ANSWER

Can I bring Counterfeit Goods into United Kingdom?

PROHIBITEDVERIFIED · 2026-04-25HIGH CONFIDENCE

Illegal to import counterfeit goods

QUANTITY / LIMITS

Any quantity prohibited; HMRC/Border Force seize under Trade Marks Act 1994 and Customs and Excise Management Act 1979

DOCUMENTS

  • No import permits available for counterfeit goods
  • Border Force seizure notice issued on confiscation

DECLARATION

Required at the destination customs authority

SOURCE

gov.uk
Verify against the official customs authority before acting on this answer.Report a correction

Full details

UK Border Force seizes counterfeit goods under the Trade Marks Act 1994 and Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Commercial-quantity counterfeits attract criminal penalties up to 10 years imprisonment. For personal-use quantities, goods are confiscated and may result in civil damages claims by rights holders. The Border Force IP Rights Policy centralises enforcement.

ENFORCEMENT

ActiveCustoms actively enforces this rule.

SURRENDER AT CUSTOMS

Available. UK Border Force accepts voluntary surrender of counterfeit goods. Declare at Red Channel. Seizure notice issued. Proactive surrender avoids civil fine under Trade Marks Act 1994 §89.

PRACTICAL ADVICE

Do not carry counterfeit branded goods into United Kingdom. UK Border Force seizes counterfeits at all ports of entry under IPR enforcement rules; commercial-quantity carriage attracts criminal-trafficking charges in addition to civil forfeiture.

OFFICIAL SOURCES · VERIFIED 2026-04-25

RULE DETAILS

QUANTITY LIMITS

Any quantity prohibited; HMRC/Border Force seize under Trade Marks Act 1994 and Customs and Excise Management Act 1979

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

  • No import permits available for counterfeit goods
  • Border Force seizure notice issued on confiscation

LEGAL REFERENCE

Trade Marks Act 1994

AIR TRAVEL IS SEPARATE

This page covers destination customs rules in United Kingdom. Whether you can carry counterfeit goods through security, in carry-on, or in checked baggage depends on airline and screening rules — see air travel rules.

Counterfeit Goods rules in other countries

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