39 people investigated for crimes against industrial property
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, September 2 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Civil Guard has intervened within the framework of operation ‘Etiqueta’ a total of 25,714 counterfeit items from high-end brands in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife that would have had a market value of more than 6.3 million euros .
In a statement, the Benemérita has indicated that as a result of this action, 39 people have been investigated as alleged perpetrators of crimes against industrial property.
The operation began in the month of May, when agents carried out surveillance services in different commercial establishments Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro, where they detected the sale of a multitude of counterfeit products.
Once the establishments were identified, the civil guards deployed a device to simultaneously carry out inspections with the aim of avoiding warnings among merchants of police intervention.
A TOTAL OF 41 LOCATIONS
In this way, the agents managed to locate a total of 41 stores, mostly bazaars, verifying that they were dedicated to the sale of a large number of counterfeit items from high-end brands of various kinds, such as: clothing, bags, wallets. , belts, footwear, sunglasses, perfumes, toys and other children’s items, etc.
During the course of these inspections, the officers had the collaboration of a judicial expert expert in trademarks who certified that the products for sale were really counterfeits.
CHILDREN’S ITEMS WITHOUT SECURITY CONTROLS
The Civil Guard has highlighted that among the material seized there were some children’s items, to which special attention was paid given that they had not passed the mandatory quality controls that would guarantee the safety that comes with their use by young minors, thus dangers that its lack could entail in some cases.
After expert work, the total value of the counterfeit products seized would reach 6,344,127 euros in the current market. This is one of the largest operations against industrial property in the Canary Islands.
The operation has been carried out by 120 agents belonging to different units: Fiscal and Border Analysis Unit (UDAIFF) of the Fiscal Section of the Tenerife North and Tenerife South Airports, together with members of the Fiscal and Border Patrols (PAFIF’s) of the territorial Companies, as well as agents of the Organic Unit of the Judicial Police.
Finally, the investigation of the operation has been directed by the various competent courts in each of the districts in which the inspections were carried out, as well as the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
