‘Dangerous’ toys seized in fake goods raid
THOUSANDS of unsafe fidget spinners and hundreds of fake designer goods were seized during raids at a business in North Manchester.
Himalaya Fashion Enterprises Ltd in the Strangeways area has been ordered to pay thousands of pounds after the illegal goods were found by Trading Standards.
A total of 2,136 incorrectly labelled fidget spinners were found on the premises during a raid in May 2017.
The toys were tested and deemed to be dangerous as the battery was easily accessible without a tool, which meant that a child could take it out and digest it, Some of the counterfeit items seized during a raid at Himalaya Fashion Enterprises Ltd in the Strangeways area council bosses warned. If eaten, the battery could burn the throat and cause damage to internal organs.
Fake Chanel, Vivienne Westwood and Dior jewellery was also found at the Sherborne Street premises during another raid last year.
Himalaya Fashion Enterprises Ltd and company director Mohamad Hakimi pleaded guilty to a number of trademark and safety offences at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on April 12.
The company was ordered to pay £3,000, costs of £2,433, and a victim surcharge of £300 at a sentencing at the same court on Friday, May 4.
Mr Hakimi was ordered to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work and to pay costs of £1,000 with a surcharge of £85.
Coun Nigel Murphy, responsible for neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council, said: “Supplying counterfeit goods may seem trivial with the only victims being large faceless companies – but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Fake goods tend to be substandard and in the most serious cases be unsafe too.
“Add to that the fact that the proceeds of this illegal trade often go on to fund other illegal activity and I would advise everyone to steer clear of counterfeit items.
“You may think you’re getting a bargain but ultimately you could be putting your loved ones at risk.”
Strangeways was labelled the UK’s counterfeit capital in a 2016 government report.