Pair arrested for designer clothing scam (From Bury Times)

Pair arrested for designer clothing scam

6:00pm Friday 21st September 2007

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TWO men from Hawkshaw have been arrested in connection with a £500,000 counterfeit clothing scam.

Their arrest follows dawn raids by trading standards officers and police on two storage units, one in Brandlesholme and the other in Salford, on September 5, when more than 4,000 fake designer label items, including jackets, jeans, t-shirts and tracksuits, were seized. The operation resulted from evidence of the sale of significant volumes of fake clothing on eBay.

The sum total of the clothing seized represented an estimated loss to the designer clothing industry of more than £500,000. Brand names included Stone Island, North Face, Prada, Timberland and Armani.

Both men have been bailed until November.

A Bury Council spokesman said: "Web-based crime, by its very nature, is not limited to one geographical area, so it is vital that our trading standards department works with other councils and partners in tackling it.

"It's great to see Bury and Salford's efforts be so productive in protecting the residents of both boroughs from being ripped off."

Inspector Andy Sutcliffe from Greater Manchester Police added: "The production and sale of counterfeit goods is not a victimless crime, as it has a serious effect on the clothing industry. It also means that those who buy the goods are getting inferior products.

"In addition to stopping the sale of counterfeit goods, we aim to target those who produce the goods to cut off the supply at the source."

Anyone wishing to report the sale of counterfeit goods should contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.

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