Will You Be Fined for Importing Counterfeit Luxury Goods Bought Online to Taiwan?
HowBridge Does Not Ship Counterfeit Goods — Declare Honestly, Verify Authenticity
Counterfeit goods are prohibited from import: when seized, they are always confiscated and may incur a fine of up to 3 times their value (Customs Anti-smuggling Act, Article 39-1). Concealing counterfeits can also implicate your entire shipment. HowBridge, in accordance with the law, does not ship counterfeit goods — any suspected counterfeit found at intake into our warehouse will not be consolidated.
For peace of mind when shopping, start with channels that have an authentication mechanism. If you're unsure whether an item can be shipped, check the prohibited import list first:
Updated 2026-08-31 | Regulations and statistics are based on the primary sources verified as of the date noted on this page
2025 New Regulations and Enforcement Reality
On May 29, 2025, Taiwan's Ministry of Finance amended and published the "Standards for Reduction and Exemption of Penalties in Customs Anti-smuggling Cases," effective from June: smuggled counterfeit goods no longer qualify for the fine exemption on shipments valued under NT$5,000 — seized goods are always confiscated and may incur a fine of up to 3 times their value. Counterfeit goods imported through normal declared shipments never had a small-value exemption in the first place.
4.92 Million Counterfeit Items
According to Customs Administration statistics: in 2025, 430 intellectual property infringement cases were detected, involving 4.92 million counterfeit items. The top three categories were cigarettes, pharmaceuticals, and apparel — even counterfeit NVIDIA chips have been seized (8 units, worth over NT$7 million).
Over NT$900 Million
The value of infringement from counterfeit goods seized in 2025 exceeded NT$900 million (Customs Administration press conference, 2026-04-15). Enforcement isn't an abstract slogan — it's hundreds of real cases every year.
Small-Value Smuggling Exemption Abolished
Under the old rules, smuggling cases with goods valued under NT$5,000 could be exempt from fines (confiscation still applied). Under the amended rules, goods infringing trademark, patent, or copyright are excluded from the exemption — no matter how small the value, a fine still applies.
Source: Ministry of Finance Order No. 1141013915 (dated 2025-05-29) (amending Article 4 of the Standards for Reduction and Exemption of Penalties in Customs Anti-smuggling Cases); Customs Administration 2025 border intellectual property enforcement statistics. Verified as of 2026-08-31.
Why Importing Counterfeit Goods Is Illegal
Counterfeit goods infringe on others' trademark and copyright rights, and importing them touches on the Trademark Act, the Copyright Act, and the Customs Anti-smuggling Act all at once. What customs determines is whether the goods are counterfeit — not their value, purpose, or whether you knew. Once infringement is determined, confiscation is mandatory by law and a fine may also be imposed. Using an overseas consolidation warehouse address and having the goods reshipped to Taiwan doesn't change anything — the recipient still bears the importer's responsibility.
Many people assume "buying one item for personal use is fine" — there is indeed a difference at the criminal liability level (see the tiers below), but confiscation of goods and administrative fines don't distinguish between personal use and selling: the item is still confiscated, you may still be fined, and destruction costs may still be recovered from you.
Tiers of Criminal and Administrative Liability: Personal Use vs. Intent to Sell
Importing counterfeit goods for personal use, with no intent to sell: there is no criminal liability under the Trademark Act, but the goods are still confiscated and you may still be fined up to 3 times the value of the goods. The moment there is "intent to sell," criminal liability applies — these are two completely different levels of consequence.
| Scenario | Legal Consequence | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Personal-use import (no intent to sell) | No criminal liability under the Trademark Act; but the goods are confiscated and a fine of up to 3 times the value of the goods may apply, with destruction costs over NT$5,000 recovered from the importer | Customs Anti-smuggling Act, Article 39-1 |
| Importing with intent to sell counterfeit trademarked goods | Up to 1 year imprisonment, detention, or a fine of up to NT$50,000, or both (the same applies to online selling) | Trademark Act, Article 97 |
| Using, for marketing purposes, a trademark identical or similar to another's | Up to 3 years imprisonment, detention, or a fine of up to NT$200,000, or both | Trademark Act, Article 95 |
| Importing pirated goods (books, discs, games, and other unauthorized reproductions) | Deemed copyright infringement; criminal liability of up to 2 years imprisonment, a fine of up to NT$500,000, or both. An exception applies for personal, non-distributive use limited to one copy per work per instance | Copyright Act, Article 87 Paragraph 1 Item 3, Article 93 Item 3, Article 87-1 |
| Smuggling by concealment (undeclared smuggling) | A fine of up to 3 times the value of the goods plus confiscation; since June 2025, infringing goods no longer qualify for the fine exemption on shipments under NT$5,000 | Customs Anti-smuggling Act, Article 36; Standards for Reduction and Exemption of Penalties in Customs Anti-smuggling Cases, Article 4 |
The import penalty under Article 97 of the Trademark Act requires "intent to sell" as a constituent element (post the 2022 amendment); purely personal use does not constitute criminal liability under this article, but administrative liability and confiscation are unaffected. See the Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China for the original legal text. Verified as of 2026-08-31.
Online Shopping Scenarios Most Likely to Result in Counterfeits
According to an EUIPO 2023 survey (25,824 interviews): nearly 4 in 10 (39%) European consumers have suspected they bought a counterfeit product, rising to 52% among those aged 15–24 — unknowingly falling victim is more common than you'd think, and these four scenarios are the most dangerous:
- Sellers of unknown origin on secondhand/C2C platforms: no authentication mechanism, prices clearly below market value
- Purchasing agents claiming "guaranteed authentic" at a clearly low price: the guarantee is just a sales pitch, and the price gap tells the real story
- Social media/livestream listings labeled "export overstock," "factory original," or "factory surplus": these three labels are nearly synonymous with counterfeits
- High-quality replica shoes, bags, watches, and electronics accessories: clothing, footwear, and leather goods together account for 62% of globally seized counterfeit goods
How Customs Detects Counterfeit Goods
Trademark rights holders can submit product identification features and apply to customs for "presentation protection" (rights registration). Customs carries out border enforcement under the "Regulations Governing Customs Protection Measures for Trademark Rights," and when goods showing a clear risk of infringement are found, it notifies both the rights holder and the importer/exporter simultaneously.
The process has clear time limits: the rights holder must appear in person to make an identification within the deadline (24 hours for air and sea imports, 4 hours for air exports), and must submit evidence of infringement within 3 working days. The importer/exporter likewise has 3 working days to submit proof of "no infringement" — otherwise, the goods are not released and are handled under the Customs Anti-smuggling Act. Imported postal parcels and express shipments are equally subject to inspection — small parcels from online consolidation are not a blind spot for enforcement; they are a key focus.
- Suspected infringement → both parties notified → rights holder identifies and provides evidence within the deadline → referral or disposition under the Anti-smuggling Act
- International data confirms that small parcels are the main battleground: according to OECD/EUIPO statistics, about 65% of counterfeit seizure cases come through small parcel and postal channels
How Big Is the Global Counterfeit Trade?
According to a joint OECD and EUIPO study (2025 edition): global trade in counterfeit goods in 2021 was estimated at USD 467 billion, accounting for 2.3% of total global imports; China accounted for 45% of all seizure cases; clothing, footwear, and leather goods together accounted for 62% of seized counterfeit goods.
- USD 467 billion: estimated value of global counterfeit and pirated goods trade in 2021 (2.3% of global imports; the share of EU imports reaches as high as 4.7%)
- 65% via small parcels: about 65% of seizure cases come from small parcels and postal mail — fast, low unit value, low inspection risk — precisely the pattern of online shopping consolidation
- 62% are clothing, footwear, and leather goods: highly overlapping with the categories Taiwanese online shoppers buy most often
- 39% of consumers have suspected buying a counterfeit (EUIPO 2023; reaching 52% among those aged 15–24); 13% admit to having intentionally purchased counterfeit goods
Source: OECD/EUIPO, "Mapping Global Trade in Fakes 2025" (OECD press release, 2025-05-07); EUIPO, "2023 IP Perception Study." Verified as of 2026-08-31.
The Right Way to Verify Authentic Products
Rather than studying "what happens if you get caught," it's better to buy the right thing from the start. Five checkpoints:
- Use Official ChannelsBrand official websites, official flagship stores, officially authorized dealers — the channel is always the first guarantee of authenticity.
- Use Platforms with Authentication MechanismsFor trend/streetwear items, use platforms with third-party verification like Dewu's "authenticate before shipping" — authentication records are kept and traceable.
- Use Inspection Services for High-Value Secondhand ItemsFor high-value items on secondhand platforms like Xianyu, use the platform's inspection service and cross-check prices against Dewu — don't rely only on the seller's photos.
- Reject Obviously Low Prices"Luxury" items priced far below market value are almost certainly counterfeit; "export overstock," "factory original," and "factory surplus" are counterfeit sales pitches, not bargains.
- Use Legitimate Consolidation and Declare HonestlyDeclare item names and prices truthfully; don't conceal "luxury" items of unknown origin — don't let one counterfeit item jeopardize your entire shipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Note: HowBridge does not ship counterfeit goods. This page is educational content on legal risk; for individual cases, please consult the Ministry of Finance's Customs Administration and the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Intellectual Property Office.
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