Employees of the Sofia City Directorate of the Interior (SCDI) disrupted an illegal trading network distributing counterfeit detergents and children"s goods, the Ministry of Interior"s press center reported.
The operation, conducted by specialized police teams, is a result of operational information received by the SCDI"s Economic Police Department regarding the trade in counterfeit goods through an online store.
After thorough work, police officers located a warehouse used for storing and distributing the counterfeits. During the search, 11 pallets containing a total of 2165 five-liter packages of detergents bearing the logos of various registered trademarks were found.
It is important to emphasize that the distribution of these products was carried out without the consent of the rightful owners, representing a serious violation of commercial rights and a danger to consumers. In addition, the police also confiscated 284 children"s items with logos of various trademarks, also without the permission of the intellectual property owners.
A pre-trial proceeding under Article 172b of the Penal Code has been initiated for the revealed illegal trading activity. The investigation is under the supervision of the Sofia District Prosecutor_q_s Office and is expected to establish the full extent of the criminal activity and identify all persons involved. The work on documenting all evidence is underway.
In a separate announcement, the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior – Pazardzhik, announced an investigation into another illegal trade in cosmetic products, detergents and cleaning agents. During operational actions, 4768 items were seized. Details of this investigation have not yet been disclosed. The scale of the seized goods indicates that this is organized crime with potentially serious financial and reputational consequences for the affected brands.
The case in Sofia sheds light on the problem of the distribution of counterfeit goods in Bulgaria and the need for stricter control of online trade. Inaction can have catastrophic consequences – from economic losses for legitimate producers to risks to the health and safety of consumers exposed to products of unclear origin and quality. The activity of the SCDI in this case is a significant signal in the fight against this type of crime. Increased checks will be key to eradicating this illegal practice.