Customs officers have seized almost ten tonnes of fake Ferrero brand chocolate at the Paris-Rungis wholesale market, with an estimated value of EUR223,500 (US$312,864).
It marks the first time that French duty men have uncovered counterfeit chocolates.
French Customs said the shipment, made up of 32,832 boxes of chocolates, was discovered in a refrigerated container that originated in Turkey. Transport documents for the container indicated it was carrying wafer biscuits.
Ferrero subsequently confirmed the counterfeit nature of the goods and laboratory analysis went on to show that, while the chocolates were not dangerous to health, their composition did not correspond to that of the genuine products.
