The Civil Guard has arrested five people in Elx accused of importing and distributing counterfeit products. In the so-called Jarapero operation, carried out between Torrevieja and Elx, almost 124,000 counterfeit items have been seized that were going to be distributed through what are known as manteros.
According to the information provided by the Civil Guard, the investigations originated in the month of March following complaints from merchants in Torrevieja about the proliferation of illegal products offered in the “top manta” on the promenade and in beach areas of Torrevieja. . These complaints and the services that the Civil Guard directs against the illegal sale of counterfeit products, warned about an increase in this type of items in the area.
After intense surveillance, the agents identified an individual of Moroccan origin, resident in the municipality, who acted as an intermediary between the sellers of the “top manta” and the suppliers of these products. The investigations led to several industrial warehouses in an industrial estate in Elx, where warehouses of counterfeit products from internationally recognized brands were discovered.
In the final phase of the operation, carried out in April, three industrial warehouses were searched, seizing a total of 120,289 sports shoes, 2,349 bags and 1,192 emblems of various brands attached to the bags, all ready and prepared for distribution.
The modus operandi of the sellers involved was to sell replicas of well-known brand bags along with the corresponding logos. Regarding counterfeit sneakers, a piece of fabric was added to hide the brand logo, which was removed after the sale to reveal the fake.
During the operation, a 54-year-old individual of Moroccan origin was arrested, identified as the supplier of the counterfeit products to the “top manta” sellers, as well as four other people of Chinese origin and responsible for the registered ships, three men and a woman between the ages of 40 and 67.
The detainees, together with the seized merchandise, have been placed at the disposal of the Elxe Guard Court for their alleged participation in a crime against industrial property. All of them have been released with the imposition of precautionary measures.
The Civil Guard emphasizes the importance of citizen collaboration and reiterates its commitment to the fight against the sale of counterfeit products, thus protecting industrial property rights and legality in trade. In addition, it warns about the risks that the acquisition of counterfeit products entails, both for local commerce and for the safety and health of the consumer.