Italian entrepreneur arrested for supplying counterfeit toner to Carabinieri and Moscati Hospital, facing multiple criminal charges.
An entrepreneur from Benevento, Italy, was arrested following an investigation by the Turin Prosecutor’s Office. The 44-year-old man, identified as Carmine Aversano, is accused of being the de facto administrator of a company involved in office supplies and stationery.
The charges include being part of a criminal association, auction tampering, fraud in public supplies, and counterfeiting. The investigation also involves six other individuals.
The case centres on the supply of counterfeit toner cartridges to the Carabinieri of the Piedmont and Aosta Valley and the Moscati Hospital in Avellino. The company won the bid by offering lower prices but was later found to be supplying non-original cartridges with fake manufacturer labels. Seizures included company locations and bank accounts.
This story was first published by Ottopagine.it, and was translated and summarised using ChatGPT.
Counterfeit toner cartridges, mimicking products from established brands, are a major problem in the print supplies market. These low-quality fakes sold cheaper than genuine cartridges, can damage printers and void warranties. This lucrative illegal trade affects consumers, businesses, and manufacturers, leading to lost revenue and damaged reputations.
This month, Pantum issued a warning about the presence of counterfeit products in the market. The company emphasized that these counterfeit consumables deceive consumers and harm their interests while also damaging Pantum’s brand image.
Pantum advised consumers to recognse and purchase from authorized distributors, official stores, and other formal channels to ensure they receive genuine Pantum products with quality, safety, and after-sales service.
In May 2023, The Recycler reported a widespread circulation of counterfeit HP toners across Europe, as indicated by 123inkt, a Netherlands based webshop. These counterfeit products were deceptively accurate and almost indistinguishable from the original HP products, even in packaging and printer software recognition.
