Counterfeit goods are illegal and dangerous – that’s the message from Revenue as you begin to hunt for the best deals in Carlow, Kilkenny and elsewhere coming up to Christmas.
They’re warning that counterfeit trade operates in the shadow economy evadine tax.
This means lost revenue for legitimate businesses and their employees, potential loss of jobs, and often the funding of organised criminal gangs.
There are also no health and safety standards in the counterfeit business, so these fake products are often unsafe, or even dangerous.
Meanwhile, you’re also being reminded that online shopping has tax and duty implications.
All goods from non-EU member states are liable to tax and duty when they arrive here.
Last year, Revenue officers in postal depots nationwide applied charges to more than 70,000 parcels adding an average of €33 per parcel.
In short, they say their advice is to be careful and if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
