August 4, 2022
Reading time • 5 min
More than 300 bottles of allegedly counterfeit beverage seized in warehouse in Santos, SP
Printed label sheets, caps and seals were found at the site.
Military police officers from the 6th Unit closed down a warehouse where a large amount of allegedly counterfeit beverages were found. At the site, located in the Jardim Castelo neighborhood in Santos, on the coast of São Paulo, there were more than 300 bottles with distilled beverages, in addition to dozens of empty containers.
According to the Military Police (PM), the criminals allegedly practiced at the location to counterfeit or forge beverages for sale through the Internet. They also found printed labels, caps and seals, which could characterize this type of crime. The agents went there after an anonymous report.
Seven cars were used to take all the seized materials to the 5th Police District (PD) of the city. As found out by TV Tribuna, a TV Globo affiliate in Baixada Santista and Vale do Ribeira, the contents are to be investigated by a forensic expert, who will determine whether there was forgery or adulteration of the liquid, or just a change in the label or bottle. Legally, these are distinct crimes.
If the beverage has been adulterated or counterfeited, it is a crime against public health, with a penalty of 4 to 8 years. If only the bottles and labels have been changed, it is a crime against the popular economy, punishable by 2 to 5 years. After the investigation, the Civil Police will start an inquiry into the case.
