Short answers, pulled from the story.
By 2019, counterfeit and pirated goods made up approximately 2.5% of global trade, valued at an estimated $464 billion. In 2007 the figure was 1.95%, up from 1.85% in 2000, reflecting sustained growth over two decades.
The United States Secret Service was initially organized primarily to combat the counterfeiting of U.S. dollars in the wake of the American Civil War. During the war, both sides had printed counterfeit notes to destabilize the other's economy, a form of economic warfare.
China, including Hong Kong, is responsible for an estimated 80% of the world's counterfeits. In 2023, Chinese-origin goods accounted for 84% of all counterfeit items seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with counterfeit production contributing over 1.5% to China's GDP.
Counterfeit goods purchased through e-commerce websites or social media apps are shipped in small packages to exploit de minimis rules, which allow duty-free imports and expedited customs processing. In 2023-92% of counterfeit seizures in the United States involved small packages shipped this way.
Counterfeit footwear, clothing, and accessories have been found to contain high levels of lead, arsenic, and phthalates. Counterfeit food, medicines, and personal care products can also contain harmful or inactive ingredients, with effects ranging from mild to life-threatening.
A 2011 investigation by the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services found over 1,800 cases of suspected counterfeit electronic parts within more than one million defense-related products. A 2012 follow-up reported the parts came overwhelmingly from China, and by 2022 counterfeit components were noted as an ongoing concern affecting F-35 fighter jets.