“Showroom” with counterfeit products taken down

The Inter-Service Market Control Unit (DIMEA) of the Ministry of Development and Investment with the assistance of the Financial Police and in the presence of a Public Prosecutor carried out an operation, on Sunday morning, in a private space (maisonette) rented by a local in Artemida, Katagiton, Attica.

During the operation, a showroom was found operating on the ground floor exhibiting counterfeit clothing, footwear and accessories with labels of large and well-known fashion houses. On the first floor lived a Greek citizen with his associates, who on a daily basis went to an exhibition of tourist items that took place the previous days at the Metropolitan Expo, distributed leaflets concerning counterfeit products, while he transported interested customers in his own vehicle to the leased space in Artemis, so they could see the imitation products up close and place their orders.

From the investigation in the aforementioned maisonette, DIMEA confiscated hundreds of counterfeit products, which were transferred to the service site for the relevant assessment of their non-authenticity by the representatives of the trademarked firms and then for their destruction in a recycling unit.

The prescribed administrative fine was imposed on the organizer of the “exhibition”, while he was arrested by the Financial Police and a criminal case was formed against him for violation of articles 7 and 45 of law 4669/2020 “Trademarks etc.” and article 216 of the penal code on “Forgery”.

From order books found during the search in the maisonette, a large number of orders of counterfeit products from customers based in various tourist destinations in the country, worth many thousands of euros, was ascertained.

Also, in the early hours of Saturday a squad of the Inter-Service Market Control Unit (DIMEA) of the Ministry of Development and Investment with the assistance of OPKE Security Attica, a nightclub in the area of ​​Piraeus was occupied, operating beyond opening hours and with music. The store was fined 10,000 euros and suspended for 30 days due to recurrence.

Controls of both the illicit trade and the implementation of measures against COVID-19 continue at an intensive pace throughout Greece.