Latvia charges 2 Lithuanians for counterfeiting Ariel laundry products in organized criminal venture WSOC TV [Video]

HELSINKI — (AP) — Latvian police said Thursday that criminal proceedings have been initiated against two Lithuanian citizens suspected of counterfeiting Ariel laundry detergent products and distributing them in significant quantities across Europe as part of an organized international crime venture.

In November 2023, Latvian police, in cooperation with tax and customs officials, uncovered a large-scale operation in a residential area of Riga, the Latvian capital, where counterfeit Ariel laundry detergents were packed and stored. The police shared photos of the discovery in a Facebook post.

The discovery included a warehouse filled with 22 metric tons of fake washing powder and liquid detergent bearing the Ariel trademark, along with packaging materials, labels and false shipping documents.

Latvian police said Thursday it had completed an investigation into the case and that the two Lithuanian citizens, born in 1978 and 1990, now face charges for “illegal production of counterfeit products, illegal use of a …