The illegal market of counterfeit products has been advancing in Brazil's major cities, with emphasis on Rio de Janeiro, where the normalization of irregular commerce is visible on the streets. In the south zone of the city, a walk through the Copacabana neighborhood reveals a vast offer of pirate products and counterfeits competing for space with formal establishments.
On Siqueira Campos street, in a stretch of just one block between Barata Ribeiro and Edmundo Lins streets, points of sale of counterfeit products were identified mere meters apart, right on the sidewalk. The area is highly trafficked, located next to a subway station, three supermarkets, and several stores, snack bars, restaurants, and bars that operate regularly.
At a stand with hundreds of fake eyeglass frames, a man identified as Ramiro, 32 years old, stated he earns approximately R$500 in a single day of good sales. He was selling fake models of brands like Dolce&Gabbana, demonstrating the scale of irregular commerce in the region.
The article is part of a series addressing the advance of the illegal market and the need for greater State integration to combat the problem, as pointed out by experts consulted by the publication. The coexistence between the formal market, which pays taxes, and irregular commerce at the doors of these formal stores highlights a growing challenge for Brazilian authorities.
