£10m fake branded gear seized at port

FAKE designer goods worth £10.2million packed into two shipping containers have been seized by Border Force officers.

The items, imported from China, will now be destroyed.

They included 300 fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph watches, worth around £21,500 each if genuine.

There were also thousands of bottles of fake designer perfume in convincing-looking packaging, including Chanel, YSL, Jimmy Choo, Hugo Boss and Dior.

Counterfeit branded man bags included 1,400 Armani, 1,200 Gucci and 400 Louis Vuitton.

Also seized were fake designer purses including 2,000 Gucci and 1,000 Louise Vuitton, as well as bogus branded flip-flops, crockery, vases and lighting.

The haul at the Port of Felixstowe, Suffolk. had been due for delivery to a trader in South London. Trading standards officers are investigating and the importers could be prosecuted.

Border Force officers acting on a tip-off from Ealing Council in West London swooped on the first container on August 21. The second arrived two weeks later.

Matthew Davis, assistant director for the Border Force at Felixstowe, said: “The trade in counterfeit goods is serious organised crime and a threat to the UK economy in terms of lost profits and tax revenues.

“Counterfeit goods leave customers out of pocket with inferior and possibly dangerous products. This was a significant seizure – and a testament to the dedication and expertise of my officers here at Felixstowe.”