According to Audrius Gimžauskas, the organizer of the “Rokiškio Grand Rally,” hundreds or even thousands of counterfeit wristbands may have been distributed, causing damage to the event and resulting in profits for the counterfeiters that could reach tens of thousands of euros.
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Counterfeits were difficult to distinguish from originals
According to A. Gimžauskas, the first concrete cases were identified during the rally itself. Suspicion was raised by wristbands held by spectators, which at first glance were very similar to the official ones – both in color scheme, design, and material.
“This year, we identified several cases where counterfeit wristbands were used by spectators to watch the rally competitions. It turned out that the wristbands began to be counterfeited even before the rally and were distributed in Rokiškis itself at a cheaper price than the genuine wristbands. The counterfeiters copied the wristband design so well that distinguishing them from the originals is quite difficult, and for an ordinary spectator – even impossible,” said A. Gimžauskas.
The organizers took several such wristbands from spectators and kept them as possible evidence. Then, according to them, they began to investigate where they came from and who might have been involved in their production and distribution.
The organizers claim to have found anonymous offers posted online where rally tickets were offered at prices lower than official sales points. According to A. Gimžauskas, the wristbands sold cheaper were exactly the counterfeits. Moreover, counterfeit wristbands were sold not only through online announcements but also in some businesses in the city of Rokiškis.
They suspect that there could have been thousands of counterfeit tickets
The exact scale of the possible scheme has not yet been determined. However, the organizers, having started collecting information, suspect that it is not about just a few or a few dozen wristbands.
“We found out that hundreds or even thousands of counterfeit tickets – wristbands – could have been distributed this way, causing us, as organizers, thousands in losses,” said A. Gimžauskas.
The number of spectators is increasing, but ticket sales are falling
Additional suspicions for the organizers are raised by ticket sales statistics over the past few years. According to A. Gimžauskas, the “Rokiškio Grand Rally” itself grows every year – more foreign athletes participate, new speed stages are sought, the entertainment program is expanded, and increasingly popular performers are invited for the event’s climax.
The growing interest, according to the organizers, is visible to the naked eye. The number of spectators at the speed stages is increasing, the spectator zones are full, and huge crowds gather at evening concerts. However, official ticket sales statistics show the opposite trend – the number of rally passes sold has been steadily decreasing for several years in a row.
“We have been observing a decrease in ticket purchases for several years in a row, even though the rally competitions grow every year. Visually, it is also clear that the number of people at the speed stages and evening events is definitely not decreasing – on the contrary, it is increasing. This year, we saw a lot of people both at the speed stages and at the evening concert of Džordana Butkutė at the Rokiškis Manor. However, the number of officially sold tickets was again very low. Now, having identified cases of counterfeit wristbands and started investigating their distribution scale, very serious suspicions arise that this may be one of the reasons why these numbers differ so much,” said A. Gimžauskas.
It is precisely this discrepancy between the actually growing spectator flows and the decreasing official ticket sales that now raises the question for the organizers whether the problem of counterfeit rally passes could have existed earlier as well.
Collected information handed over to the police
While investigating the situation, the rally organizers say they have obtained more information not only about the possible scale of counterfeit distribution but also about individuals who might have been involved in their production and trade.
The organizers themselves cannot definitively identify the culprits, so they have handed over the collected information about the possible scheme and the persons involved to law enforcement.
“We have contacted police officers to whom we provided all the information known to us about the persons who might have carried out this counterfeiting scheme. We will seek to ensure that the guilty are punished, losses compensated, and stricter measures will be taken next year to ensure that counterfeiting is not possible,” said A. Gimžauskas.
Whether the organizers’ suspicions about the possible scale of the scheme and specific individuals will be confirmed will have to be determined by law enforcement.
Counterfeiting tickets is punishable by imprisonment
Article 224 of the Criminal Code provides liability for the manufacture, possession, or sale of fake or counterfeit postage stamps, travel or other tickets, banderoles, or other official marking signs.
Such acts may be punishable by community service, a fine, restriction of liberty, arrest, or imprisonment for up to two years.
If it is established that a large quantity or high value of fake or counterfeit tickets or other signs specified in this article were produced, possessed, or sold, the Criminal Code provides for a fine, restriction of liberty, arrest, or imprisonment for up to four years.
What legal qualification could be applied in the specific case of the “Rokiškio Grand Rally” will depend on the circumstances established by law enforcement.
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