The Guardia Civil have detained a passenger at Sevilla Airport after discovering 47 counterfeit high-end watches inside his checked luggage.
The individual is being investigated for an alleged offence against industrial property.
According to a statement issued on Monday, the operation began with an intelligence exchange between Malaga and Sevilla airports.
Following a detailed risk assessment of passengers, officers focused on a traveller bound for Gran Canaria whose movements raised suspicions of involvement in the distribution of fake goods.
During fiscal checks and a documentary review of the baggage, officers identified a checked suitcase containing the haul.
Inside were 47 replica watches, representing various luxury models, each packaged individually and allegedly prepared for onward distribution on the illicit market.
Using the retail value of the genuine products as a benchmark, investigators estimate the merchandise would be worth around €822,000 if authentic.
The seized items, along with the investigative file and the suspect, have been handed over to the duty court in Seville.
