Anti-piracy operation seizes about 2,000 items in Saara, in downtown Rio

Business owners will have 15 business days to file an administrative defense with Procon-RJ

The initiative brought together teams from the State Secretariat for Consumer Protection (Sedcon) and Procon-RJ. Photo courtesy of Procon

About 2,000 products suspected of being counterfeit were seized during an anti-piracy operation carried out this Monday (August 3) in the Saara neighborhood in downtown Rio. The operation also identified goods without sales receipts and items displayed for sale without the required information in Portuguese, in violation of the Consumer Protection Code.

Inspectors seized backpacks, makeup, stuffed animals, keychains, cups, card holders, and hair accessories. Among the seized items were products that unauthorizedly used references to brands popular among children and young people, including Disney characters and the Labubu line.

In addition to suspicions of counterfeiting, the agents found that several products had packaging, labels, and instructions for use only in foreign languages. Brazilian law requires that all information intended for consumers be provided in Portuguese, especially for items aimed at children or that may impact users’ health and safety.

At one of the inspected establishments, the owner was unable to present sales receipts or documents proving the origin of the goods being sold. In light of this violation, the team immediately issued a citation to the store.

In total, two stores were fined during the operation. Those responsible for the establishments will have 15 business days to file an administrative defense with Procon-RJ.

The seized products will be analyzed to verify the authenticity of the brands and investigate any potential violations of intellectual property law. According to the participating agencies, new enforcement actions are planned for the coming months in other commercial areas of the capital.

The operation involved teams from the State Secretariat for Consumer Protection (Sedcon), Procon-RJ, military police officers from the 5th BPM (Praça da Harmonia), and legal representatives of the brands affected by the illegal sales.

Source: Operação contra pirataria apreende cerca de 2 mil produtos na Saara, no Centro do Rio