The police checked the defendant’s car on November 23, 2017. Bags with four Cartier bracelets and three Rolex watches were found, 58,000 euros in cash. The bracelets appear to be fake and one of the watches had a fake serial number. The other two timepieces were genuine.

During searches at his private address and in his business, in addition to dozens of timepieces, hundreds of dials, bracelets, warranty certificates and packaging from brands such as Rolex, Cartier and Patek Philippe were also found. Two Rolex watches and the interior of a third Rolex were marked stolen. Some timepieces. counterfeiting of false parts There were also counterfeits between the dials, bracelets, packaging and the warranty certificates.

Unauthorized repairer

Payment obligations for the watches and bracelets were in for repairs and initial customers. They choose an unauthorized repairer because he worked faster and cheaper. He didn’t know it had a name. He could not submit any data, because he worked on the basis of customer trust. He had bought the parts online from a trade fair in Munich, but had not received any invoices.

According to Georgi M., the seized 76,000 euros, of which the prosecutor is requesting forfeiture, was of his own: he had to handle all his transactions, because he could not get an account at any bank. The prosecutor found his accounts “vague” and did not give a real picture of the state of his company. Only one customer had been registered by name and it was also difficult to verify whether the repairs charged had really happened.

The prosecutor doubts that there were good customers and suspects that all goods have been found from Georgi. “He uses his to sell and also shop for DIY making repairs on products made to the brand’s rules.”

To adjust

The defense denied that all goods belonged to him. “It seems strange that he cannot present strike documents, but his industry is now working on cooperation. And when people bring in timepieces and bracelets for an adjustment to be repaired, they in turn trust that goods have not been stolen or counterfeited,” argued his lawyer John Maes.

Georgi M. also did not know that he had bought some at a trade show or online that they were counterfeit. Nor did he embellish the fact that he was infringing trademark law by, for example, adding diamonds to a Rolex watch of a different color. ‘Customise’, as it is called.

A number of indictments have been closed. “But my client is certainly not the big counterfeit salesman like they put him here. That is why we argue for a suspension and we ask not to impose a professional ban”, John Maes. He also asked not to comment on the excessive claims of luxury brands that have filed civil proceedings.

Judgment on February 17.

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