ESBU has dismantled a scheme for the production and sale of counterfeit agrochemicals disguised as products of well-known brands

 Detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Kyiv region, in cooperation with the Cyber Police Department, have exposed and shut down the activities of two organized crime groups. The suspects established an illegal scheme for the manufacture and sale of counterfeit plant protection products, labeling them with the logos of world-renowned agrochemical manufacturers.

The investigation established that the members of the crime groups, leveraging their experience in agriculture and knowledge of the agricultural market, organized a full production cycle for the counterfeit goods. In substandard conditions, they mixed chemical substances of unknown origin, food ingredients, and even construction mixtures.

The finished products were packed in counterfeit containers and marked with brand logos. The counterfeit goods were sold to agricultural enterprises throughout Ukraine via the Internet, messaging apps, and postal operators.

During 16 authorized searches in the Cherkasy and Mykolaiv regions, ESBU detectives seized significant quantities of counterfeit goods, over 4,000 units of packaging containers, specialized equipment, raw materials, and cash. The seized materials confirm preparations for the manufacture of new large-scale batches of counterfeit products.

The amount of established damages caused to the trademark owner has already exceeded UAH 2 million. Efforts are currently underway to determine the extent of material losses suffered by official product distributors, as well as the number of farms that may have been affected by the use of counterfeit agrochemicals.

Currently, six members of the organized groups have been notified of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 229 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal use of a trademark for goods and services or a trade name, if it caused material damage in a particularly large amount, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy).

Operational support was provided by the Cyberpolice Department of the National Police of Ukraine. Procedural guidance is carried out by prosecutors of the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office of the Office of the Prosecutor General.

"We consistently expose and stop the production and circulation of counterfeit products, as this is not only a violation of intellectual property rights but also a direct threat to the agricultural sector and consumer safety. Such schemes undermine trust in the market and cause significant losses to the state and business," noted Vitaliy Perunin, Head of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Kyiv region.

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a court verdict.