The investigation of the suspect started in the beginning of September 2016 when customs officials at Berlin-Tegel Airport inspected a shipment hailing from the Turkish city of Bursa. During the inspection, they uncovered around 1,600 counterfeit clothing items illegally bearing the Hugo Boss brand name. The renowned logo was camouflaged under removable stickers and patches from alleged manufacturer “Mio Caldino”.
The counterfeits that would have yielded approximately 35,000 euros on the market were destined for delivery to Berlin-Spandau and quickly led the investigators to the 31-year-old suspect who had rented several containers in an industrial zone in the region. A caretaker employed on the premises is said to have received approximately 2,400 euros annually to accept delivery of hundreds of shipments of fakes for the suspect.
As the perpetrator confirmed during the trial, the counterfeits always originated from Turkey where his brother had the often inferior imitations manufactured. Afterwards, the fakes were sent to Berlin via Poland or Great Britain. The counterfeiters used parcel delivery services such as UPS and DHL, as well as airfreight service providers for more time sensitive shipments. Once in Germany, the fake name brand clothing was sold to wholesalers in Dresden and Ortenberg, Hessen, who then offered the goods to consumers via eBay, Amazon and Zalando. Apart from Hugo Boss, brands affected by the counterfeiting operation include for example Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren.
Local authorities arrested the suspected counterfeiter two months after the investigations had begun. After giving an extensive confession, the man has now been sentenced to four years in prison. Currently, investigators are attempting to take action against the brother of the man as well as a female accomplice in Turkey, with the help of the local Turkish authorities. “But it is very difficult, because many influential figures are involved in the textile industry,” explained the leading customs investigator during the proceedings.
Meanwhile, the authorities have been able to secure further evidence in the home of the sentenced counterfeiter and to uncover several Bulgarian letter-box companies, which the brothers had used for their illicit business.
