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In a joint operation of the National Police, Civil Guard and Tax Agency
Dismantled twice in just three months by the same clandestine workshop that counterfeited garments from various prestigious brands
After a first intervention carried out in March of this year, in which the ships were sealed by the police, those investigated continued with the illegal activity in the same place, giving rise to new operations
Five people have been arrested for an alleged crime against industrial property, in whom 2,853 articles have been intervened that violated the rights of numerous prestigious brands, various machinery for making garments, 55,000 euros in cash and various documentation
18-August-2020.- Agents of the National Police, the Civil Guard and the Tax Agency have dismantled on two occasions, one in March and another in June, the same clandestine workshop dedicated to the production of textile garments that violated industrial property rights of numerous prestigious brands.
The first intervention was carried out on March 4. The agents of the National Police and Customs Surveillance carried out two inspections in some warehouses located in the Madrid town of Valdemoro, where a large quantity of counterfeit merchandise consisting of sports shoes, sportswear for football clubs, basketball teams of the NBA and various counterfeit textile garments.
In the warehouses machinery was also found for the confection and manufacture of all the articles. Among all this machinery, the agents found thermal plates, industrial embroiderers, printing plotters, vinyl cutting plotters and large format printers, all linked to computer programs that practically allowed those responsible to falsify any trademark and distinctive sign.
The shipping system mounted showed the level of business
In one of the warehouses, numerous packages were also found for home delivery. In addition, they had a lot of material from a well-known parcel company to make them, counting on a vending machine for the labels where the remittance and recipient data were entered, which evidenced the number of orders they processed.
The “modus operandi” was as follows: the raw material originated in the company and the product would be offered through a web page that, to advertise the reported illegal activity, other web pages and different accounts of a well-known social network. Linked to them were three mercantile companies, of which those investigated were sole administrators. Having identified the persons responsible for these companies and websites, the two industrial buildings were located, which lacked any type of legal activity. They were searched, leaving the merchandise and machinery sealed by the police.
With the intervention carried out, the investigation and the total dismantling of this illicit production chain was concluded. However, on April 21 it was found that they continued to publish announcements related to the illegal activity intervened.
On the other hand, through the coordination channels between the Security Forces and Bodies, it was learned of the intervention carried out by the Civil Guard on April 22, 2020, when they proceeded to identify a vehicle in the that three people were traveling, who later turned out to be among the detainees. The owner of this vehicle was one of the mentioned companies whose administrator is another of the people who were arrested. They were transporting apparently counterfeit sportswear and shipping packages, as well as a large bag containing various sportswear items screen-printed with well-known trademark logos, also labeled with their respective logos.
After a first search, the ships continued their illegal activity
After various verifications, the investigators confirmed that the machines were still operating in the warehouses and that there was a movement of money in the accounts associated with both individuals and companies of those investigated, whose justification could not be proven by a known legal activity. In addition, the total money that circulated through the accounts and the balance at the end of the year, suggested that the people investigated were handling large amounts of cash, being directly involved in activities that violate industrial property rights.
On the other hand, they continued to use the Valdemoro warehouses, where they had all the effects and machinery to be able to continue with the criminal activity against industrial property, despite having been sealed by the police. They also used a building in the Madrid town of Cubas de la Sagra, where they delivered packages for later distribution.
On June 26, a court order proceeded to make new entries and searches, which ended with the arrest of five individuals, three of them of Spanish nationality, one of Venezuelan nationality and, finally, one of nationality Moroccan. A total of 2,853 articles that violated the industrial property rights of numerous prestigious brands were also intervened, as well as various machinery for making garments, 55,000 euros in cash and various documentation.
