Anti-Counterfeit authorities in Banteay Meanchey province arrested three people in a crackdown on a business that allegedly produced counterfeit red wine. Khmerpart/facebook
The authorities have cracked down on a business allegedly producing counterfeit red wine in Banteay Meanchey province, arresting three people, while in a separate case, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court was questioning a suspect who was allegedly involved in the illegal production of cosmetic products.
The Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Counterfeit Products officers raided a business location called Tola Selling All Kinds of Wines in Banteay Meanchey province’s Poipet town on Wednesday, where they said red wine was being produced and packaged illegally.
Long Sreng, the deputy director of the Anti-Economic Crime Department at the Ministry of Interior, told The Post on Thursday that during the raid, police confiscated 248 cases – or 1,488 bottles – of red wine with the brand name Penlods, and 132 cases of red wine with 88 labels.
They also confiscated other cases and boxes which they said violated international copyright laws.
“We detained three people and will send them to court to face the law when we have finished our procedures,” he said.
Sreng said authorities from different institutions were cracking down on several other places that produce and package counterfeit products in Banteay Meanchey province, but he declined to disclose details as it would interfere with the investigation.
In a separate case, the owner of a Phnom Penh cosmetics production facility in Meanchey district’s Stung Meanchey commune was arrested and sent to court on Wednesday by anti-counterfeiting police officers.
A police report said they raided the business on Monday after discovering that its products were illegal. The police confiscated 14 kinds of cosmetics weighing a total of 2,532kg.
The report said the court was temporarily keeping the evidence and had taken samples to test the products for contamination.
Phnom Penh Municipal Court spokesperson Kuch Kimlong said the court was questioning the business owner and, as of Thursday evening, the prosecutor had not yet decided what to charge the suspect with.
“We just started questioning him on Thursday. Normally, such cases are settled with a fine. He may be allowed to go home after questioning. But the investigating judge would continue to look into it. Such cases are not so serious,” Kimlong said.
