As of: 30.10.2026. Note: general information, not legal advice. The only source is the pages of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS, BAZG in German), linked in post 8.
Switzerland is not part of the EU, so the EU rules from the overview Counterfeits and EU customs do not apply there. The FOCBS sums up the Swiss situation like this: bringing counterfeit trademark or design goods into or out of the Swiss customs territory is prohibited in principle, and explicitly also when they are travel goods for private use. Counterfeits can be detained and destroyed at the border, whether new or used.
How this works in detail depends on whether the goods arrive with travellers or by post or courier. More on that in the next posts.
[[PHOTO: Schematische Grafik mit zwei Wegen an die Schweizer Grenze: links „Reiseverkehr“ (Koffer), rechts „Post und Kurier“ (Paket), darunter jeweils „Zurückbehaltung möglich“]]
Editorial summary, not independently verified.
Travellers, i.e. goods in your luggage, according to the FOCBS FAQ: at the request of the rights holder, goods suspected of infringing rights are detained. If the traveller signs a waiver, the goods are destroyed; according to the FAQ the FOCBS charges nothing for this, but the rights holder can claim compensation. Without a waiver, the rights holder has to obtain precautionary court measures within 10, at most 20 working days, otherwise the goods are released.
Post and courier is the point that surprises people most:
- According to the FOCBS, postal and courier shipments count as commercial goods traffic, private online orders included.
- Suspicious shipments are detained for 10 to 20 working days, and both sides (owner and rights holder) are informed in writing.
- Destruction requires the owner’s consent. It counts as given if the owner does not expressly object within the deadline.
- If the owner objects, the rights holder has to go to court, otherwise the FOCBS releases the goods.
Punishable or not: according to the FAQ, importing exclusively for private use is not punishable (Art. 65a Trade Mark Protection Act, Art. 41a Design Act).
Still possible: destruction of the goods, a claim by the rights holder, and court action if the private use is doubted.
FOCBS costs: according to the FAQ, the fees under the FOCBS Fees Ordinance (SR 631.035) are charged to the rights holder, who can pass them on to the owner.
Commercial: intentional infringements can be prosecuted, commercial ones ex officio, with a custodial sentence of up to five years or a monetary penalty.
What matters specifically for watches:
- Whether a watch is a counterfeit is decided by the rights holder, not by the FOCBS, according to the FOCBS. The FOCBS detains suspicious goods and notifies the rights holder.
- The FOCBS is not a criminal prosecution authority.
- According to the FAQ, over 90 % of detained goods come in small shipments of no more than three items by post or courier.
- According to the FOCBS, checks are risk-based, not systematic. That does not mean a shipment “gets through”, only that not every one is opened.
What a letter from the FOCBS means, in one paragraph: it informs you about a detained shipment, gives a deadline and the option to object to the destruction. If you do nothing, you consent to the destruction according to the FAQ. Whether to object is a personal decision; for legal questions the right contact is a professional, not a forum. And watch out for messages that only pretend to come from customs: how to spot that kind of trick is covered in Staying safe: scams, fake middlemen and privacy.
On the forum rule: posts with tips on how to get around checks or how to misdeclare shipments are removed, see Community Rules. Neutral information like in this thread is allowed. If you want the comparison with Germany: Fake bags and customs in Germany. Questions for the moderators via the About page.
Summary (as of: 30.10.2026):
- Counterfeit trademark and design goods may not, in principle, be brought into Switzerland, not even as travel goods for private use.
- Travellers: detention at the rights holder’s request, destruction if a waiver is signed, otherwise 10 to 20 working days for court measures.
- Post and courier count as commercial goods traffic, private orders included; destruction if the owner does not object within the deadline.
- Private use is not punishable, but destruction and claims by the rights holder remain possible.
- Authenticity is decided by the rights holder, not by the FOCBS.
Sources (all checked on 30.10.2026):
- FOCBS (BAZG), product piracy and trademark counterfeiting: bazg.admin.ch – prohibition also for travel goods for private use, detention and destruction. English version: bazg.admin.ch (EN)
- FOCBS (BAZG), FAQ “Fälschungen – Hilfeleistung des BAZG” (PDF in German, listed on the page with 27.10.2026): bazg.admin.ch (PDF) – travellers, post and courier, deadlines, criminal liability, fees.
Editorial summary, not independently verified.
Thanks, especially for the difference between luggage and parcel. If the FOCBS updates the FAQ again, the summary should be extended with a new “as of” date.