Counterfeit under the guise of a global brand: ESBU exposes scheme for illegal production and sale of Duracell batteries

 A large-scale scheme for the illegal manufacture and sale of counterfeit batteries under the "DURACELL" brand has been exposed by detectives of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine. The products were sold across the entire territory of Ukraine under the guise of original goods. The damages caused to the right holder exceed UAH 5 million.

The basis for launching the pretrial investigation was an application submitted by the American company "DURACELL BATTERIES BVBA" regarding facts of potential intellectual property rights infringement.

The investigation established that during 2024–2025, the suspects imported over 1.4 million unbranded batteries into the territory of Ukraine. Subsequently, "DURACELL" trademarks and service marks were illegally applied to the products, after which the counterfeit batteries were sold through distribution channels across the country.

During the investigation, the manufacturing of at least 119.2 thousand units of counterfeit products was confirmed. The damages caused to the right holder exceed UAH 5 million.

Based on the results of the conducted searches, ESBU detectives seized finished counterfeit products, another 41.7 thousand batteries prepared for trademark application, equipment for applying trademarks and service marks, and packaging materials featuring the illegal use of the brand.

The exposure operations were carried out by personnel from the Department of Detectives for Strategic Economic Protection of the ESBU, the Main Detective Unit of the ESBU, and the Operations and Investigation Department of the Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

The pretrial investigation is ongoing. Three members of the organized group have been notified of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 229 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal use of a trademark for goods).

Procedural guidance is carried out by prosecutors of the Office of the Prosecutor General.

The ESBU systematically counters the illegal use of trademarks and infringements on intellectual property rights. For right holders, a brand is not just a name or a logo, but also their reputation, consumer trust, and a guarantee of product quality. The use of counterfeit goods harms both businesses and consumers, who deserve to receive high-quality and safe products.

Note: In accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime until their guilt is proven in the manner prescribed by law and established by a court verdict of guilty.