Harry Potter merchandise among £272k worth of fakes found in Barcelona toy shop

SPANISH police have seized thousands of fake Harry Potter wands, costumes and other merchandise from a toy shop as part of a major operation against counterfeit goods.

The raid in Barcelona uncovered almost 10,000 items purporting to be from Disney or Warner Bros brands, the majority from the beloved wizarding saga, with a total street value of €305,000 (£272,288).

Photos distributed by the Guardia Civil showed a treasure trove of paraphernalia relating to the Harry Potter series, including cloaks and ties worn by the pupils of Hogwarts, the wizards’ school. Banners, scarves and hats bearing the colours of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin, the four houses of Hogwarts, were also on offer.

Inside a glass display case was a selection of magic wands and even a replica of Hedwig, the young wizard’s owl, inside what appeared to be an elaborately crafted cage. The authentic appearance came with a price tag to match – wands were sold at €35.99 while the caged Hedwig was marketed at €97.99. But they were in fact cheaply made forgeries, the majority from China.

The shop manager, a 38-year-old Spanish woman, has been arrested.

The raid, by officers from the Guardia Civil’s Tax and Borders unit, took place on Feb 27 but was only revealed yesterday.

A spokesman for the Guardia Civil said that officers had received intelligence there was a large amount of counterfeit items at the Barcelona toy store, and that investigations confirmed their suspicions.

“This raid was part of a wider operation against fake goods which are arriving mostly from China by sea and other routes,” he said.

The sale of fake goods, such as football shirts or copies of designer fashion accessories, is commonplace on the streets of Barcelona, and police have been cracking down on the practice.

However it is unusual to find counterfeit items in shops – a tactic, the Guardia Civil said, aimed at giving the impression the goods were genuine.

10,000 The number of items of fake Disney and Warner Bros merchandise in the toy shop