As a result of operative-searching and investigative activities carried out by the representatives of the Investigation Service of Ministry of Finance of Georgia, in coordination with the Prosecutor’s Office of Kvemo Kartli district, citizens of the Republic of Türkiye, S.D. and E.D. were detained on the fact of manufacturing and unlawful usage of another person’s trademark in large quantities, by prior agreement as a group.

Investigation determined that the accused persons, in order to receive material benefit unlawfully, had set up an illicit factory in the Kvemo Kartli region. They systematically produced laundry detergents, which they unlawfully marketed under the trademarks of well-known brands: 'ABC', 'Ariel', 'Tide' and 'Persil'.

As a result of investigative activities, 1,325 units of laundry detergent bearing counterfeit trademarks of the mentioned brands, prepared for sale, were seized.

In addition, 5,818 empty packages of the same laundry detergents, 632 sacks of low-quality laundry detergent, 28 sacks of salt, fragrances, colorants, as well as technical equipment intended for the production and packaging of the products, were detected and seized.

At this stage, investigative and operative activities are being carried out to identify and expose other individuals involved in the abovementioned crime, as well as to determine the commercial facilities where the said products had been placed for sale.

Investigation is underway under Article 196, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which envisages imprisonment from 3 to 5 years.