They dismantle an organization in charge of counterfeiting wines worth up to 15,000 euros in France and Italy

The French and Italian Police have dismantled a wine fraud network who operated between both countries and earned around two million euros selling wine with false labels, as reported by the French Prosecutor’s Office.

The labels, which the criminals had specially printed, falsely signed that the bottles were ‘grands crus‘, a concept that evokes a plot or estate where exceptional wines are made thanks to an excellent ‘terroir’ and the good work of the winegrower, has confirmed the prosecutor of the French city of Dijon, Olivier Caracotch.

Buyers thought they were buying rare bottles valued at up to 15,000 euros each in the international market.

One of the detained it’s a french citizenwho has been accused of organized fraud and money laundering. In addition, Caracotch has confirmed that the alleged ringleader of the gang, of Russian origin, will also appear before the judge to be charged.

The leader of the band40, had already been convicted of similar charges, but under a different name. On this occasion, he was arrested at Milan’s Malpensa airport during a transaction related to a printer.

French prosecutors stated that the arrests came after a close cooperation with the Italian authoritiesespecially with the anti-counterfeiting police units of Turin and Milan.

Several police raids have been carried out in the regions of Turin, Milan and Paris, while six European arrest warrants have been issued and the seizure of counterfeit merchandise for a sale value of two million euros.