The British government cracked down on illegal car parts in recent weeks, seizing a massive haul from a single purveyor.
What's happening?
According to a press release from the UK government, police seized 3,600 fake car parts valued at over £100,000 from a self-storage facility in South Gloucestershire.
The parts included spark plugs, oil filters, air filters, fuel filters, windshield wiper blades, and sensors, all designed to help bypass safety testing.
Officials found improperly labeled parts manufactured to masquerade as properly certified parts, and parts without labels in plain boxes, intended to bilk consumers.
Why are fake car parts concerning?
Counterfeit car parts are a booming black market in the UK; according to a 2024 report, the amount imported to the UK in 2021 was worth £2.2 billion.
A second report showed that one in six British drivers had either knowingly or unknowingly purchased counterfeit parts for their car.
However, there was more at issue than simply protecting brand rights or licensing fees; counterfeit parts are often made from inferior materials and have not been properly safety-tested, making them more prone to failure or other issues than standard parts.
While that may mean they're cheaper in the short term, the repeated need to replace them drives repair costs through the roof.
On top of that, parts failing while the car is on the road can cause potentially serious incidents, and the inferior materials used in manufacturing could pose health hazards to drivers and passengers.
"Counterfeit vehicle parts are not just illegal — they are potentially lethal," said South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet Member for Trading Standards, Sean Rhodes.
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Brand-new 👶 "Our Trading Standards team, working with national partners and industry experts, has acted decisively to protect motorists and the wider public," he continued.
"We urge everyone to be vigilant when buying vehicle parts, especially online, and to report anything suspicious. Safety must come first, and this seizure sends a clear message that we will not tolerate criminal activity that could put lives at risk."
What's being done about fake car parts?
Amid the British government's efforts address counterfeit parts, the Gloucestershire raid was a perfect example of the work it's doing.
Officials also provided consumers with tips to help avoid being scammed by inferior parts.
Checking for serial numbers, iffy packaging, vague product descriptions, missing safety guidelines, and spelling or grammar mistakes on packaging or instructions are all signals that parts may be fake and should be reported to the Board of Trade.
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