Counterfeit Vehicle Parts

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FIN/25/003440/Z

Version Date: 05/08/2025

The Performance Analysis Department have provided the following information.

To obtain this information, the Performance Analysis Department undertook an Occurrence Enquiry Log (OEL) keyword search for the word ‘Counterfeit,’ with those results then being searched for keywords such as ‘Car parts,’ ‘airbags,’ ‘brakes,’ ‘Tyres,’ and ‘Wheels.’

A further OEL search was carried out for ‘Counterfeit car’ which produced three results all related to counterfeit cards and, therefore, were discounted.

I am writing to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding counterfeit vehicle parts in the United Kingdom over the past five years.

Please provide the following data for your police force area:
1.The total number of counterfeit vehicle parts (such as tyres, wheels, airbags and brakes) that have been seized, for each of the past five calendar years (2020–2024, and any available data for 2025 to date).
2.How many arrests have been made in connection with the sale of counterfeit vehicle parts for each of the past five calendar years.
3.The total estimated monetary value (£) of the seized counterfeit car parts.
4.The total number of reported cases of counterfeit vehicle parts being sold.

This search resulted in a ‘nil return.’