Hungarian Authorities Seize 75 Tons of Counterfeit Washing Detergent

On September 8, 2016, Hungarian authorities seized nearly 75 tons of powder detergent and over 1,100 hectoliters of liquid detergent while raiding two plants in Budapest where the detergent was being produced. The damage caused by the counterfeiting is estimated at over EUR 483,000 (USD 538,000).

The counterfeiters developed their own high-tech production lines and had seven people working in two locations. The main ingredients for the detergent were ordered from Slovakia on behalf of a Romanian company, while the finished product was sold in Germany through Hungarian companies.

One week after the raid, the investigators discovered another warehouse where packed liquid detergent intended for retail sale was stored and ready for distribution. The officials also seized 10 tons of salt, 750 kilograms of sodium benzoate, 6 tons of powder detergent of unknown origin and tens of thousands of items of packing materials, including labels, bottles and boxes.

An investigation is underway regarding IP rights infringement.

Prepared by: Tatjana Krivszka

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

Source: Hungarian Tax and Customs website