Court orders destruction of hundreds of kilograms of counterfeit Lavazza coffee – photo

The court has delivered a verdict against a group of individuals who organized the clandestine production and sale of counterfeit coffee under the guise of products of well-known world brands, about reported by the Bureau of Economic Security.

According to the investigation, large-scale production of counterfeit coffee was organized at warehouses in the Kyiv region.

The counterfeit products were sold wholesale and retail through online platforms, retail outlets, and local markets, passing them off as original.

As can be seen in the photos used by the BES to illustrate the message, the counterfeit coffee included ORO, Lavazza Crema e Gusto, and Dallmayr Ethiopia.

During the investigation, equipment for the production and packaging of coffee, printing equipment, finished products, vehicles, cash, computer equipment, mobile phones, documentation, etc. were seized.

The organizer and his accomplices were served a notice of suspicion under Part 3 of Art. 229 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal use of a trademark for goods and services that caused material damage on an especially large scale) and Parts 1 and 2 of Art. 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (legalization of property obtained by criminal means).

The court found them guilty, sentenced them to imprisonment with a probationary period, and ordered the confiscation and destruction of the counterfeit products.

In the court register, the company reported that at least 766.25 kg of Lavazza coffee was seized (excluding products with unspecified weight). An exact count is not possible, as many items do not have the weight of the packaging indicated.

In addition, according to the court decision, six seized vehicles with an estimated value of about UAH 4 million were transferred to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Bureau of Economic Security in July this year seized 11 luxury cars during the investigation of criminal proceedings on illegal coffee production in the Kyiv region.

Among the seized vehicles are Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz S 65, Ford Explorer, Dodge Durango, Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300 S, Chrysler 300, Chevrolet Corvette, and others.

At that time, six people were suspected of illegal use of a trademark and money laundering (Part 3 of Article 229 and Part 3 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

In January, BES detectives, together with cyber police operatives, conducted searches at one of the production facilities of this network. Property was seized, including equipment and finished goods worth more than UAH 20 million.

However, by court order, part of the seized property was returned to the owners, which "allowed the suspects to resume their illegal activities," the BES noted.

• In November 2025, near Kyiv, an underground food production site was discovered. Authorities seized 24 tons of cereal and 200,000 canned goods.
• In December, BES shut down two underground sewing workshops in Busk, Lviv Oblast, where counterfeit products of the Italian brand Stone Island were produced.