I have 2 true stories. First, my friend's parents who is Luxembourgers went for Holiday to China, and came back with tons of counterfeited item including watches and bags without any problems whatsoever. They flew with First Class all the way. And second, my mom once visit me when I was studying in Europe. She arrived in Switzerland. She brought her fake LV luggage with her and some random person asked her to not enter with her bag but will give it back to her once she fly out of the country. But unfortunately she flew back from Paris so her bag seized.
So I think that case rarely happen. My mom just unfortunate.
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Sincerely sorry for your mother but... "serves your rights"
Point 01 :
LV luggages and purses are sort of a caricature of the fake industry ... could say "everybody own a LV" like "everybody wear a Rollex".
Going through customs with a LV is like showing up at the police station with a t-shirt with a "take me I'm a thief" label ... most of the time you pass but sometimes something goes wrong.
Point 02 :
IMHO, and despite their celebrity, LV things are definitely NOT chic and classy but JUST bling-bling for sixteen years old girls.
I'm not exaggerating ... I live in France and I would say that 80% of the teenagers here have an LV purse (79% reps / 1% gens).
If your mother really wants a chic purse she should have a look at Hermes.
Hermes is level more chic than LV and far less bling, so connoisseurs will appreciate and customs agents wont even notice.
If she wants go to gen but thinks Hermes is too much overpriced (but less than LV) she could consider a Longchamp.
Longchamp women's bags are wonderfull (high quality real leather) and very affordable (a "pliage heritage" is about 700$ and a "pliage heritage luxe" about 1000$).
Plus they will last a lifetime ... my wife have plenty and the older (she got it from her mother) is 30 years old and minty.
with always too much pick-and-mix to carry (and she HAS).