RIGA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Two persons were arrested in Latvia in late May on suspicion of counterfeiting and distributing large quantities of a popular brand of coffee, law enforcement authorities informed on Tuesday.
The financial damage from the illicit scheme exceeded 500,000 euros (577,771 U.S. dollars).
A criminal investigation was launched in June 2017 into the production and distribution of fake goods by an organized group, police representatives informed. The two suspects were detained as they were negotiating a deal with a potential buyer of their fake product.
As part of the probe, investigators conducted a number of searches in the region of Riga, seizing data carriers, coffee packaging, label stickers, pallets and other items to package and advertise coffee. Documents seized during the raids revealed that the group of counterfeiters had been selling the fake coffee for a long time.
In all, more than five tons of packaged coffee were seized during the searches. It was established that the fake coffee was meant for exporting to the UK and other EU member states, but there were no plans to sell it in Latvia.
Latvian law enforcement authorities worked other EU countries to uncover the scheme. The investigation is still ongoing, police said.
