The ASAE announced the execution of a criminal prevention operation, led by the Wine and Viticulture Brigade of the Northern Regional Unit, aimed at a wine product distribution warehouse in the northern region of the country.
“During the inspection, the storage and sale of wine bottled with a designation of origin known to consumers, specifically wines from the Douro Region, were identified as being in clear violation of applicable legislation,” the statement noted.
According to the ASAE, this situation allowed the economic operator to misrepresent the product as wine with characteristics and authenticity it did not actually possess, misleading consumers into paying a higher price and fostering unfair competition in the market.
“As a result of the investigation, approximately 3,256 liters of wine were seized, and a criminal case was initiated for merchandise fraud, label forgery, and misappropriation of the DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada) designation of origin,” the statement further elaborated.
