A man accused of selling counterfeit Zamzam water has been found to have amassed millions of Turkish lira, according to preliminary investigations into the scandal.
The fraudulent operation, which produced and sold fake Zamzam water in Turkey, reportedly generated approximately 90 million lira ($2.5 million) in revenue, according to Turkish media reports.
Investigations revealed that the operation produced 20 tonnes of fake Zamzam water daily, earning around 600,000 lira ($22,000) a day.
The suspect, identified as Bilal, admitted during questioning that he had been running the scheme for about five months, during which he profited nearly $2.5 million.
He also confessed that most of the Zamzam water sold in Turkey, including in Istanbul, came from his warehouse in Adana, southern Turkey.
Authorities raided the facility, uncovering 15 tonnes (15,000 litres) of ordinary tap water packaged in containers bearing counterfeit labels claiming the product was genuine Zamzam water from Saudi Arabia.
Tap water
Images from the raid, published by local media, showed large quantities of both small personal-use bottles and larger containers for household use, all with labels resembling those found in markets.
The counterfeit labels, designed to deceive consumers, included Arabic text and references to Saudi Arabia, the source of Zamzam water, which holds religious significance for Muslims.
The suspect claimed he mixed genuine Zamzam water, purchased from vehicles arriving from Saudi Arabia, with tap water at his facility. He argued that he had not received complaints from customers before the raid.
Authorities have confiscated the counterfeit water for destruction, sealed the facility, and launched an investigation into the individuals involved.
The demand for Zamzam water in Turkey is high, particularly during religious occasions such as Ramadan, with bottles widely available in markets and stores across the country. However, the extent of the distribution of the counterfeit product remains unclear.
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