counterfeit

Producers also make counterfeit drinks by making products with methanol instead of ethanol because it is cheaper, say local observers.

This soon spills over into the counterfeits sold in the unlicensed arena: Social media and word of mouth.

Border Force is responsible for scanning international mail suspected of containing drugs, firearms, knives, and counterfeit items or goods with unpaid customs fees - but not every package is checked.

Food counterfeiting also happens in the US – in some cases, cheap and even dangerous ingredients are being used to produce “fake” versions of expensive cheese, such as parmesan made using additives derived from wood pulp.

As well as diversifying its characters, Sanrio boosted its overseas marketing and is now tackling counterfeits more rigorously.