Operation of 44 Internet sites specialized at sale of the counterfeit alcohol was terminated

Operation of 44 Internet sites specialized at sale of the counterfeit alcohol was terminated according to the results of work carried out in January – February of this year by specialists of the Actual audits unit of the State Tax Service of Kyiv city jointly with employees of the State Fiscal Service Kyiv city.

During the monitoring of Internet sites (social networks: Telegram, Facebook, Instagram) with the sale of excisable products below the market prices, 44 ads were found. In order to prevent the sale of illegal products to population, specialists of the Actual audits unit of the State Tax Service of Kyiv city made 26 purchases of alcohol beverages for 4.0 thousand UAH.

Purchased alcohol beverages were without proper labeling and had all the signs of counterfeiting (improper packaging, violation of the purchase and sale).

Collected materials were transferred to Main Directorate of the STS of Kyiv city and were used to initiate criminal cases under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor’s Office of Kyiv city.

At the same time, during the pre-trial investigation of criminal proceedings regarding illicit trafficking of excisable products under Part 2 Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, data on 44 Internet resources involved in sale of the counterfeit alcohol was identified, as well as hosting providers that provided services to support the domain names of these sites.

Decision of Dniprovskyi District Court of Kyiv city seized intellectual property rights of 44 domain names, terminating operation of sites involved in sale of the counterfeit alcohol.

Pre-trial investigation is currently ongoing.

Measures are being taken to identify individuals involved in the illicit trafficking of excisable products.

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