Summer is not just holiday time on the Mediterranean.

Anyone who buys counterfeit branded products on their summer vacation can expect heavy fines – both at their destination and in Germany. Penalties for buyers of pirated products are now being imposed in both Spain and Italy, according to Eva Schewior, President of the German Patent and Trademark Office. In many cases, counterfeits are distributed by criminal networks. "Those who buy them are supporting organized crime," said the head of the Munich-based federal agency. She cited football jerseys, luxury watches, and sunglasses as examples of frequently counterfeited products.

According to Schewior, the risk of customs inspection is high when returning home or sending a package to your home address. She pointed to statistics showing that customs officers seized and destroyed 16,857 illegal goods last year, predominantly, but not exclusively, in mail shipments. The value of the confiscated goods was €417 million – more than double the previous year's figure. "Have a vacation without fakes," the DPMA President appealed to vacationers.