Sayenko Kharenko has successfully represented Philip Morris in a criminal case regarding the illegal use of its trademark by a group organizing the wholesale production and sale of counterfeit Bond Street cigarettes.
According to the firm, a criminal case was initiated against the persons involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit cigarettes, in particular, for the illegal use of trademarks, which is punishable under Article 229 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
"Thanks to strategy [...], timely collection and provision of all necessary evidence, and proactive coordination with law enforcement agencies, the pre-trial criminal investigation was completed within a short time, and the case was brought to court," Sayenko Kharenko reported. "After a series of court hearings, the Zaliznychnyi District Court on August 17, 2023, found three members of the criminal group guilty, ordered the destruction of the counterfeit products and the entire production line of the infringers, imposed suspended sentences, and ordered them to pay compensation over UAH 1.4 million."
"Law enforcement agencies are currently investigating at least six criminal cases of counterfeiting Philip Morris International brands," Philip Morris Ukraine Illicit Trade Prevention Manager Serhii Verbov commented. "The cases have been opened against illegal producers in Dnipro, Chernivtsi, Kyiv, and Odesa. For Philip Morris International, this is the first successful case of protecting its own brands in court during the company’s operation in Ukraine. We expect that in the future the interests of our business will be fairly protected in Ukrainian courts."
The Sayenko Kharenko team included Partner Yaroslav Ognevyuk, Senior Associate Volodymyr Hrunskyi, and Associate Mykola Lysenko.