The Security Service of Ukraine has exposed the large-scale production of counterfeit plant protection products and other types of agricultural chemicals under the guise of trademarks of well-known world brands.

Operatives of the special service found that this illegal business was organized by residents of Kharkiv region. Using raw materials made in China, they produced counterfeits against plants diseases. The attackers planned to sell the products to farmers throughout Ukraine.

Dealers produced and stored counterfeit in private homes in the Kharkiv region, as well as production facilities in industrial zones in Kharkiv with equipment for packing and packaging of counterfeit products.

Within the framework of the initiated criminal proceedings under Art. 321 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine SBU employees in cooperation with bodies of the Prosecutor's Office and the National Police stopped activity of three underground shops on production of poisonous substances and a production line for package. Also, 5 warehouses were found, in which the organizers stored the finished products.

Law enforcement officers confiscated equipment for the production of counterfeit goods, more than 50 tons of finished counterfeit products and almost 5 tons of toxic raw materials. Press-tools with logos of foreign companies, packaging, labels with drug names and holographic images were also found.

According to relevant experts, getting such a batch of low-quality products to farmers could cause significant damage to agriculture.