Ukrainian Police Seize Counterfeit Household Chemicals

Ukrainian police officials recently stopped the production of household chemicals infringing several well-known trademarks, including Calgon®, Onyx®, and Persil®, in Chernivtsi Oblast in western Ukraine. A group of counterfeiters manufactured fake detergents in rented premises and sold them throughout western Ukraine.

During a raid of the rented premises and the counterfeiters’ private homes, the authorities seized finished products, the total value of which is estimated at over EUR 3,500 (USD 3,700), as well as a mechanical mixing device, colorants, over four tons of salt used as a filler and over 15,000 empty cardboard packs, labels, and plastic buckets with illegally printed trademarks.

A number of expert examinations and investigations will estimate the losses inflicted on the relevant rights holders.

The law enforcement bodies initiated criminal proceedings against the counterfeiters based on Part 3 of Article 229 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code (relating to the illegal use of trademarks, commercial names, and appellations of origin). Article 229 envisions punishment in the form of a fine of up to EUR 1,800 (USD 1,900), up to 6 years of imprisonment and confiscation of the products, materials and equipment used for their production.

Prepared by: Olga Goncharova and Dina Petošević

For more information, please contact ukraine@petosevic.com.

Sources: Ukrainian news portal Molodyi Bukovynets; Chernivtsi Oblast Police website