"What it meant was that a fashion hanbag produced in China and sold at the tenth of the cost of an identical handbag made in China had to be destroyed so the label owner could continue to make a killing."
Quite right too. Protection of a designer's IP is important. If you're fussed by having a label, then pay for it. If you're not prepared to pay for the label, then buy something generic from Primark.
Tales of custom officers always alarm me. I presume that nowadays no public servant has that sort of latitude to let you off a statutory liability. Imagine the outcry in the newspapers. Or indeed the scope for bribery.
Do they still say 'If I were you I'd wear that watch and then it's second hand'?