Ukrainian Cyber Police Shut Down Illegal Streaming Service and Online Sale of Fake Food Items

The Ukrainian cyber police department recently shut down an unauthorized website that was illegally streaming Ukrainian TV channels, infringing the copyright of some of the largest Ukrainian media holding companies. The officials seized computer and mobile equipment, routers, hard drives, flash drives, documentation and 51 servers from the office and home of the person operating the website in Kirovohrad region in central Ukraine.

The website streamed Ukrainian TV channels for a fee of EUR 0.8 (USD 1) per month and had more than a million users per month. It is estimated that the streaming service caused financial losses of approximately EUR 200,000 (USD 244,000) to copyright holders. The perpetrator can be sentenced to up to six years in prison.

The cyber police department also recently shut down the production and online sale of counterfeit coffee in the capital of Kyiv. The officials seized 10 tons of packaged coffee, more than nine tons of unpackaged coffee, 150,000 packaging items infringing the trademarks of leading global coffee producers, as well as production and packing equipment.

The goods were seized during 16 raids of the homes, cars and manufacturing and storage facilities of a five-member counterfeiting group. According to preliminary estimates, this illegal business inflicted a loss of at least EUR 145,000 (USD 177,00) to trademark owners.

Besides their own production which was established in six warehouses, the counterfeiters controlled a network of clandestine workshops which produced more than 10,000 packages of fake coffee per week, which they sold online.

Finally, the cyber police department recently shut down the production and online sale of coffee, confectionery, spices, marinades and sauces in the Lviv region in western Ukraine. The officials seized 10 tons of goods infringing numerous trademarks of leading Ukrainian food brands, as well as technical and computer equipment, raw materials, documentation, cash and bank cards.

The goods were seized during 27 raids of homes, cars and storage and production facilities of the eight-member counterfeiting group. The counterfeiters ordered the raw materials from abroad, produced the goods in garage facilities and warehouses in the Lviv region in western Ukraine, and subsequently sold them online and through wholesalers.

Prepared by: Valentyna Martynenko

For more information, please contact ukraine@petosevic.com.

Source: Ukraine Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy website, Ukrainian cyber police website, Ukrainian National Police website