According to the relevant authorities, Guanajuato is one of the regions in Mexico where a large quantity of counterfeit products is produced, including sports, dress, industrial footwear, and others. Counterfeit sneakers pose a threat to the country’s economy as they affect legitimate manufacturers and reduce government tax revenue. Additionally, counterfeit sneakers are often of poor quality and do not meet safety and quality standards.
Among the “advantages” for buyers in cloning footwear is the lower production and consumer sale price. The level of cloning is very similar to the original product, and some counterfeit sneakers even include the original distinctive QR code. In the case of sports footwear, there are no exact figures on how many counterfeit sneakers are sold in Mexico City, but this illegal activity is estimated to be widespread in the capital and other major cities in Mexico.
There is even a market exclusively dedicated to the sale of counterfeit sneakers in CDMX, located in Tepito and known as Market 23. Here, traders offer both individual pairs and wholesale quantities with a low investment amount, leading to the growth of distributors since 2019.
The diversification of this business encourages illegal activity, jeopardizing safety and product quality. Legitimate manufacturers and distributors of cloned brands are also affected.
In summary, the production of counterfeit sneakers in Guanajuato is estimated to be a significant quantity of these illegal products sold for prices ranging from $250 to $600 pesos, with deliveries made at metro lines in Mexico City.
Mexico has various laws and measures to combat the production and sale of counterfeit footwear. The Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) is responsible for enforcing intellectual property laws in the country and protecting the property rights of companies and individuals.
Some measures adopted by Mexico to combat counterfeit footwear production include:
Seizure operations: The IMPI has conducted seizure operations in markets, stores, and factories selling counterfeit products, including footwear.
Collaboration with companies: The IMPI has collaborated with legitimate footwear industry companies to detect and report the production and sale of counterfeit footwear.
Education and awareness: The IMPI has carried out education and awareness campaigns to inform consumers about the risks and dangers of buying counterfeit products and the importance of supporting legitimate companies.
Penalties and sanctions: In Mexico, the production and sale of counterfeit products are illegal and can be punished with fines and prison sentences.
It is important to note that the production and sale of counterfeit products are a global problem, and combating it requires cooperation and joint efforts from companies, governments, and consumers.
Mexico’s Industrial Property Law (LPI) establishes in article 223 that counterfeiting a trademark, reproducing, imitating, altering, or improperly using a registered trademark or its name, in the same class or another, without the consent of its owner, is a crime.
Article 224 of the LPI states that commercializing, importing, exporting, or storing products containing a counterfeit trademark, as well as the means or instruments intended for counterfeiting, is also considered a crime.
Article 223 of the LPI establishes that counterfeiting registered trademarks can be punished with a prison sentence of six months to six years and a fine ranging from 20 to 20,000 times the current minimum wage in the Federal District. Additionally, the LPI provides that if the crime is committed by a public official in the exercise of their functions, the penalty may be increased by half.