Turkish Man Accused of Earning Millions from Fake Zamzam Water Operation
A Turkish man has been accused of operating a counterfeit Zamzam water scheme, reportedly amassing nearly 90 million lira (approximately $2.5 million) in just five months.
Identified as Bilal, the suspect admitted to running the illicit operation from a facility in Adana, southern Turkey. He revealed that much of the fake Zamzam water sold in cities like Istanbul was sourced from his warehouse.
Preliminary investigations found that the operation produced around 20 tons of counterfeit Zamzam water daily, generating an estimated income of 600,000 lira ($22,000) per day.
Authorities raided the facility, uncovering 15,000 liters of tap water packaged in bottles with fraudulent labels designed to mimic genuine Zamzam water. The packaging included Arabic text and references to Saudi Arabia, misleading buyers.
Bilal confessed to mixing small amounts of real Zamzam water, brought from vehicles traveling from Saudi Arabia, with tap water. He claimed no customers had complained before the authorities shut down the operation.
The confiscated counterfeit water has been slated for destruction, and the facility has been sealed. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full scale of the operation and its distribution network. Demand for Zamzam water remains high in Turkey, especially during Ramadan.
