£3m of fake goods found in shop raids
DUBBED ‘KNOCK-OFF CAPITAL OF UK’
COUNTERFEIT goods worth an estimated £3m were seized during raids in on the area of Manchester dubbed the knock-off capital of the UK.
Fleeing traders closed electronic shutters – trapping customers inside shops – in a failed bid to thwart investigators as they swooped on 11 shops in the Strangeways area of the city.
Five suspects were arrested in an operation by led by trading standards.
Thousands of fake designer goods – enough to fill three 40ft shipping containers according to officials – were seized, including 2,000 bags and boxes of counterfeit branded goods in the name of Adidas, Chanel, Ugg, Michael Kors, GHD, Beats/Apple, Nike and Superdry.
Firefighters were called and used cutting gear to free six shoppers from two raided premises, where fleeing owners had brought down electric rolling shutters.
A brand expert has told the council the haul has a street value estimated at £3m, not including the thousands of fake designer badges seized from a small ‘factory’ inside one of the premises they raided. Last week’s operation was led by trading standards officials at Manchester council but was supported by Greater Manchester Police, HM Revenue and Customs, UK Border Force, the Intellectual Property Office, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and Electricity North West. Among the goods seized were clothing, footwear, perfume, jewellery and handbags. Fake batteries, speakers and headphones were also seized, all of which officials say are potentially hazardous. Two large knives and a ‘significant’ amount of cash were also discovered. The council’s executive member for neighbourhoods, Coun Nigel Murphy, said: “This major raid involved significant levels of resources, with all the relevant enforcement agencies working together in a coordinated effort to tackle the criminals involved in the spread of counterfeit goods. “Along with our partners, we’re committed to disrupting and ending the trade in fake goods in the Strangeways area, which causes real harm to both innocent customers and legitimate businesses.” The area has seen a succession of operations aimed at tackling the counterfeiters but they don’t appear to have deterred them – or demand for the goods from shoppers. Coun Nigel Murphy