FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Nov. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Living Essentials, LLC, distributor of 5-hour ENERGY®, recently discovered counterfeit 5-hour ENERGY® products circulating in the marketplace. Living Essentials, LLC, acted swiftly to identify and halt the counterfeiting operation and filed suits in U.S. Federal District courts in both California and New York.

The company has identified and shut down the counterfeiters' factory. Living Essentials, LLC, also executed court orders that have permitted it to seize large quantities of fake product from numerous locations as well the machinery used by the counterfeiters to package the counterfeits.

No serious adverse events have been reported to date related to the identified counterfeit 5-hour ENERGY® products.

Consumers can identify whether 5-hour ENERGY® products they purchased are counterfeit by examining the lot number located on the bottom of the bottle's packaging and on the bottom of each bottle. Known counterfeit products are:

Regular Strength Berry

lot number 112611A4
lot number 105112W4
lot number W20712K6

Extra Strength Berry

lot number 115811P3
lot number W08912J4
lot number 119812P4

Regular Strength Orange

lot number 115111A2
lot number 105112R2
lot number 120012T2

Please note that the counterfeiters used lot numbers that also appear on authentic 5-Hour ENERGY®, so both fake and some real bottles have these lot numbers.

Living Essentials, LLC, is working with appropriate authorities, including law enforcement, to investigate and aggressively proceed against those involved in producing, distributing and selling counterfeit 5-Hour ENERGY®.

We are extremely upset that a group of alleged criminals preyed upon and profited from the loyal, hardworking customers who have come to rely on us to provide them with a high-quality product and the world's leading energy shot," said Scott Henderson, president of 5-hour ENERGY®.

Consumers who identify that the 5-hour ENERGY® product they have purchased matches the information above can contact Living Essentials at 1- 866-324-7949.
Retailers and distributors that have counterfeit products can call 1- 877-324-7987.

Those who call will be asked to mail the product to: