Value of country’s fakes tripled from 2019 to 2020 as it became main source of counterfeit designer clothes stopped at EU borders
Photos of fake Gucci bags, Louis Vuitton sweatpants and Nike sneakers are flaunted on the social media accounts of a Turkish store with more than 155,000 followers on TikTok. There are thousands of comments under the posts in English, Italian, Bulgarian, Polish, German, Spanish and French.
Turkey is the third biggest exporter of counterfeit products to the EU after China and Hong Kong, according to data on the value of goods seized. Falls in the value of the Turkish lira and the deterioration of the Turkish economy are further fuelling demand as such items become cheaper to traders buying in euros.
“Our sales doubled in 2021. It’s such a good deal if you earn in dollars or euros,” the Turkish store owner said. “Foreigners can buy a high-quality replica Nike tracksuit for €30 and resell it for €90 back home.”
A December 2021 report published by the EU’s intellectual property office (EUIPO) also points to the trend. The value of counterfeits from Turkey more than tripled from 2019 to 2020, reaching nearly €134m (£111m), and Turkey became the main source of fake designer clothing and medicine stopped at EU borders, surpassing China in these categories.
“We see fakes booming when the economy does badly,” said Zeynep Seda Alhas, who specialises in intellectual property rights at Gün + Partners, a law firm in Istanbul representing some of the world’s most famous brands. “The cheap lira has made exporting counterfeits even more profitable.”
She said the number of court-approved raids by the firm on counterfeit producers doubled in 2021 and the number of items it seized almost tripled. In January, it conducted what Alhas called “the biggest raid in Turkey’s history”, confiscating more than 350,000 pairs of fake designer trainers in three Istanbul workshops, some half-finished and all destined to be eventually sent abroad.
“Profits are much higher in counterfeit goods,” Alhas said, explaining that even factories that produce legally for big brands could “turn bad” during times of economic trouble, working extra shifts to produce fakes.
Turkey’s legal exports have also surged during the currency crisis, increasing 33% over the year and reaching $225bn (£171bn), according to the government-run Turkish Statistical Institute. “There’s no reason why counterfeit goods’ exports would increase any less than legal exports,” said Ümit İzmen, a former chief economist of TÜSİAD, Turkey’s leading business association.
Lost sales cost the EU €83bn a year, according to EUIPO and İzmen says working conditions at underground production facilities are less likely to comply with laws on wages, child labour and health and safety.
“Counterfeiting is generally perceived as a minor offence and not a serious crime,” İzmen said. “But there’s an organised criminal network behind all this. At the very least, you need to bribe someone at every customs point.”
Law firms such as Alhas’s usually hear about big shipments caught by customs officers – mostly in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands – and then try to find the production site in Turkey.
The website of neighbouring Bulgaria’s customs authority is packed with reports of vehicles from Turkey caught with counterfeit goods. In February 2021, hundreds of bottles of counterfeit perfume were found tucked under a passenger seat in a bus, apparently hidden by the driver.
But much gets through. A producer of fake Dsquared2 jeans said there were freight companies in Istanbul that focused on counterfeit exports, filling trucks with fakes surrounded by originals. “They charge extra to transport fakes, they know people at customs,” he said. “They have built a spider web of networks all over the border.” A 2020 report by Europol said a criminal group regularly transported large quantities of fake designer clothes from Istanbul to Greece with the help of three customs officers recruited to “facilitate” their activity for years before getting caught.
Alhas said her firm’s investigations team – which includes former law enforcement officers – would spend months looking for the factories that made knockoffs, pretending to be buyers and collecting evidence to present to the courts in order to get permission for a raid. “They work like private detectives,” she said.
But catching fakes was almost impossible when orders were placed online and sent in small parcels by mail, explained Alhas.
“I haven’t had any trouble with the law,” said the owner of the store with the 155,000 TikTok followers, who claimed to send about 300 packages abroad monthly . “I could sell a ton more, but I don’t want to attract attention.”
Turkey has become a popular destination for purchasing counterfeit luxury goods, with fake handbags, watches, and other accessories readily available in markets and stores across the country. But just how much can you expect to pay for these knockoff items? Here’s an overview of the fake goods landscape in Turkey and typical pricing.
The Popularity of Fakes in Turkey
Over the years, Turkey has emerged as a global hub for producing and selling counterfeit luxury products. Several factors drive this illicit trade
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Turkey has a strong manufacturing base with skills in leatherworking, textiles jewelry, and other crafts used for luxury goods. This expertise can be redirected to making convincing fakes.
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The country is located on major trade routes between Europe and Asia. This facilitates bringing in materials to make fakes and distributing finished counterfeits globally.
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As an international tourist destination, Turkey receives millions of visitors annually, creating demand for fake luxury souvenirs and gifts Tourist hubs like Istanbul are rife with counterfeit markets
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Turkey has porous borders and generally lacks effective IP protections and enforcement against counterfeiting. This enables the trade to thrive domestically.
The counterfeit industry mainly focuses on copying expensive Western luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Rolex, and Chanel that have cachet and markup to justify knockoff prices.
Where to Find Fakes in Turkey
Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is ground zero for counterfeit shopping. Hundreds of stores carry every imaginable fake, from handbags, watches, and sunglasses to perfumes and other items. Quality varies greatly, from cheap knockoffs using inferior materials to near-perfect replicas.
Other Turkish cities also have counterfeit markets. Kemeraltı Bazaar in Izmir, Zincirli Bedesten in Ankara, and Arasta Bazaar in Antalya are top spots outside Istanbul. Street sellers and stores in touristy areas commonly peddle fakes too.
For top-tier replicas, sellers operate hidden closet-like shops, reached through a maze of back alleys and passages. Security and secrecy increase with quality to avoid police raids. Appointment required.
Online sellers also abound, using local sites and social media. Search for “sahte” or “replika” (Turkish for “fake” and “replica”) to find options.
What You Can Get and Sample Pricing
Handbags are widely faked in Turkey. At Grand Bazaar, expect to pay:
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$20-50 for cheap fabric knockoffs of luxury brands using synthetic materials
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$100-200 for decent leather replicas with passable details
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Up to $1500+ for high-quality mirror image copies with real leather, hardware, and design details mimicking the real thing
Watches command these typical prices:
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$20-50 for obvious fakes with quartz movements and cheap metals
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$100-300 for replicas with automatic movements, quality steel or gold plating, and convincing design elements
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$1000+ for illegally produced supercopies with genuine Swiss movements and metals
Shoes and accessories like belts, wallets, and sunglasses can be found for:
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$10-30 for most fabric and basic leather items
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$50+ for more accurate leather replicas with metallic hardware
Clothing and apparel tends to sell for:
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$20-50 for most T-shirts, dresses, jeans, tracksuits and other garments
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$100-150 for fake fur and leather jackets modeled on luxury brands
The Bottom Line
For shoppers seeking prestigious brands on a budget, Turkey offers an abundance of fakes to choose from. But counterfeiting supports criminal networks, harms legitimate businesses, and fuels labor abuses. Ethical concerns aside, buyers risk legal hassles transporting fakes home and getting caught with obvious knockoffs. Yet Turkey’s fake factories show no signs of slowing, as long as tourist demand exists for luxury knockoffs at bargain prices.
Turkish Market, Fake Goods Spree (Part 1)
FAQ
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