Police dismantle gang specializing in dietary supplement fraud in SP

Five people from a gang specializing in the irregular trade of dietary supplements were arrested by the civil police on May 20th. The investigation carried out by the State Department of Criminal Investigations (Deic) revealed the scheme that consisted of selling products with an expiration date or close to expiration date.

According to the civil police, the suspects linked to at least two companies that operated in the clandestine market, purchased batches of supplements that were close to their expiration date, from large manufacturers. In a second stage, the packaging went through a rebranding process and had its expiration dates tampered with by company employees.

During the execution of search and seizure warrants, several products were collected with their expiration date expired or about to expire. Police officers found equipment used to remark packaging and instruments for tampering.

The operation was carried out by police officers from the 3rd DIG Police Station (Financial and Economic Fraud Investigations) and targeted addresses in the neighborhoods of Mandaqui, Lauzane Paulista, and Vilas Isolina Mazzei and Cruz das Almas, all in the North Zone, Tatuapé and São Mateus, in the East Zone, in Picanço, in Guarulhos, in Greater São Paulo.

According to the police, the investigations aimed to identify crimes of misrepresentation and other crimes committed by company representatives. This was the second phase of a previous investigation that had carried out the seizure of electronic equipment, where evidence appeared of the operation of a criminal association focused on committing crimes against public health.

The five prisoners are charged with counterfeiting food products and criminal association.