Customs officials in Cyprus have seized 28,000 counterfeit condoms from a shipment that arrived from Greece at the southern port city of Limassol, authorities said.
The condoms were found in a container flagged by a risk assessment and then examined through X-ray scanning and a physical search, the Customs and Excise Department said in a statement.
Initial findings, together with the shipment's documents and invoices, indicated that the products infringed the trademark of a well-known brand, the department said. It did not name the brand or the company that imported the goods.
The owner of the importing company admitted the condoms were fake, according to the department.
Authorities expect to complete the confiscation in the coming days, after which the products will be destroyed.
The department warned that counterfeit goods may not offer the protection consumers expect from genuine products.
Fake condoms pose particular health risks because they may tear more easily or be made from substandard materials, leaving users exposed to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
Customs authorities across the European Union seize millions of counterfeit items each year, ranging from clothing and toys to medicines and personal care products.