Hundreds of fake Rolex and Cartier watches hidden in dye cans: Olbia is the "logistical base for fakes."
Exact replicas of luxury watches, complete with fake packaging and certificates of authenticity. A 45-year-old man is in trouble.A veritable "fake logistics base" in the heart of Olbia, with over 1,300 luxury watches, all completely fake, hidden in a private home. This is what the Olbia Guardia di Finanza Group discovered as part of intensified controls against counterfeiting and to protect Made in Italy products.
The investigation led the Finance Police to a warehouse inside a house in the city center. Here, hidden in several dye jars, were over a thousand items of (apparently) high-end watchmaking.
These were faithful reproductions of the most famous models marketed by major luxury brands, including Patek Philippe, Rolex, Bulgari, Omega, Hublot, Audemars Piguet, Panerai, Cartier, and Swatch. The 45-year-old owner of the property was unable to provide any documentation proving their authenticity.
The merchandise, the Guardia di Finanza explains, was carefully crafted to closely resemble the originals. Even the packaging was meticulously designed, complete with warranty certificates.
At the end of the operation, all the items were seized. The 45-year-old was reported to the Tempio Pausania Public Prosecutor's Office for the crimes of receiving stolen goods, introducing into the country, and selling products with false markings.
(Unioneonline/D)