As part of the ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade to combat commercial fraud and protect consumers, Engineer Ahmed Ibrahim Aboud, the Deputy Minister of Supply and Internal Trade in Gharbia Governorate, has issued instructions to intensify inspection campaigns to monitor and pursue factories engaging in illegal activities, particularly those involved in packaging counterfeit food and beverage products. These efforts come under continuous directives from the relevant authorities in the governorate to ensure market safety and protect consumers from unknown or counterfeit products that may pose a public health risk.

An extensive inspection campaign was formed by the General Directorate of Internal Trade, led by Ahmed Abu Zaid, the Director-General of the Directorate, with the participation of commercial inspection officers Hamada Neda, Ahmed Farouk, and Mohamed Fawzy. The campaign aimed to apprehend violators and take all necessary legal actions against them. The campaign followed secret information revealing the existence of factories in Gharbia Governorate that were counterfeiting a well-known beverage brand, "Spiro Spats," owned by "Mimco for Beverages and Foods." Investigations revealed that these factories were producing counterfeit beverages under names such as "Siroaspits," "Spiro Spanish," "Super Espans," and "Super Spider," which closely mimic the original brand in an effort to mislead consumers.

After conducting the necessary investigations, the relevant authorities confirmed the accuracy of the received information, and an inspection campaign was directed to the suspected factory. During the factory inspection, 2,000 empty bottles ready for packaging were found, carrying labels with the name "Sptro Spans," which closely resembles the original brand name. Additionally, 5,000 stickers bearing the same name were found, indicating that the factory was in the final stages of producing these counterfeit beverages, which were on the verge of being launched into the market.

It was revealed that the factory in question was operating without a legal license and using trademarked names not owned by them, in violation of Egyptian laws and regulations, including Law No. 154 of 2019 regarding the protection of intellectual property rights, Law No. 82 of 2002 governing the protection of authors' rights and inventions, and Law No. 281 of 1994, which pertains to consumer protection from fraud and deception. This constitutes a blatant violation of Egyptian laws and highlights the negligence of some entities in adhering to legal regulations, posing a threat to consumer health and the market for legitimate products.

Campaign officials confirmed that all necessary procedures were taken, with all seized items, including the empty bottles and printed stickers, being confiscated. These will be submitted to the relevant laboratories for testing to confirm their alignment with the original brand. Additionally, the factory has been sealed until a decision is made by the public prosecutor regarding the case.

This campaign comes at a critical time, with increased efforts to monitor the markets to ensure that counterfeit or fraudulent products that could harm consumers are not circulated, and to protect the reputation of major companies. Authorities are expected to closely follow the investigations, with necessary penalties to be applied to the violators in accordance with Egyptian laws.

Furthermore, the relevant authorities continue to monitor all commercial activities to ensure that they operate within legal frameworks, helping to reduce commercial fraud that has been affecting product quality in Egyptian markets. The governorate is currently running an awareness campaign to inform consumers about the importance of purchasing trusted products and verifying authorized trademarks to ensure their personal safety and health.