08/20/2012 -The European Union stopped 115 million counterfeit products from entering its borders in 2011, a 15 percent increase from 2010. The information was released as part of an annualreportwhich gathered statistics from member states.

Most of the detained items were counterfeit medicines (24 percent), followed by packaging materials (21 percent) and cigarettes (18 percent). The report notes that products, such as those for personal hygiene or healththat could harm consumers made up 28.6 percent of the total goods, compared to 14.5 percent in 2010.

China continues to be the main exporter ofcounterfeit goods, with 73 percent of all items originating from there. Other countries engaged in exporting certain types of counterfeit goods to the EU. Turkey exported mainly fake food while Panama specialized in alcoholic drinks. Thailand shipped out fake soft drinks and Hong Kong sent mobile phones.

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