Honduras Seizes Over 17,000 Counterfeit Sneakers in Major Blow to Regional Illicit Trade

By Bufete Mejia & Asociados

Honduran authorities have seized a container carrying more than 17,000 counterfeit sneakers, in a major enforcement operation aimed at curbing illicit trade and protecting intellectual property rights in Central America. The operation, which uncovered fake Reebok and Nike shoes with an estimated value of over 37.5 million lempiras (about USD 1.5 million), reflects growing regional concerns about the global counterfeit trade and its economic, legal, and social impacts.

The container, intercepted at the Operadora Portuaria Centroamericana (OPC) logistics center, was inspected as part of routine port security checks conducted by the National Directorate of Border Police Services (DNSPF), in collaboration with the Police Investigations Directorate (DPI), the Container Control Unit (UCC), and Honduran Customs. The merchandise had been exported from Guangzhou, China.

This case underscores broader trends revealed in a recent OECD report, Mapping Global Trade in Fakes 2025: Global Trends and Enforcement Challenges. The study found that counterfeit goods represented approximately USD 467 billion in global trade in 2021. Despite enforcement efforts, the same underlying risks and trafficking methods persist and continue to evolve.

Clothing, footwear, and leather goods remain among the hardest-hit sectors, accounting for 62% of all global counterfeit seizures. Counterfeiters are increasingly diversifying, targeting everyday products including automotive parts, medicines, cosmetics, toys, and even food—items that pose significant health and safety risks to consumers.

While China continues to be the dominant source of counterfeit goods—linked to 45% of all seizures in 2021—the report also identifies rising involvement from countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Criminal networks are adapting by shifting to small parcels and postal deliveries, which accounted for about 65% of seizures, and by using “localisation” strategies—shipping components separately and assembling counterfeit products closer to the final market. This complicates detection and enforcement.

"The OECD’s continued monitoring and mapping of the global trade in fakes shows the need for authorities to adopt new tools and step up their cooperation and information sharing,” said OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann. “Illicit trade threatens public safety, undermines intellectual property rights and hampers economic growth."

To address these challenges, the report calls for enhanced coordination among customs authorities, police, financial intelligence units, and market surveillance bodies. It also stresses the importance of real-time information sharing and stronger cooperation with postal operators, logistics firms, and intermediaries—many of whom are unknowingly exploited by counterfeiters.