PRESS CUTTINGS: April 2012 Five Fake Alcohol Rings Are Smashed Scotland’S Hotspots Have Been Revealed As Edinburgh and Falkirk

PRESS CUTTINGS: April 2012 Five fake alcohol rings are smashed Scotland’s hotspots have been revealed as Edinburgh and Falkirk. Five illegal operations were shut down by trading standards officers in Scotland last year, two in the capital and two in Falkirk. They also made a seizure in Argyll and Bute. The number of successful counterfeit alcohol raids has increased by 500% in the last the three years. SCOTTISH SUNDAY MAIL 01/04/2012 UK

STAT OF THE MONTH TOBACCO SMUGGLING The illegal tobacco trade is giving the Government a headache. Cigarette smuggling costs the Exchequer £2.2bn a year in lost revenue. There has been some success in clamping down-more than 20 billion smuggled cigarettes and 2,700 tonnes of rolling tobacco have been seized in the past decade, HMRC claims. MANAGEMENT TODAY 01/04/2012 UK

Fake cigs, alcohol are seized A HUGE haul of illegal tobacco has been seized and a loan shark ring smashed following raids by trading standards officers. In a raid carried out on three linked premises in Burnley and Bacup, officers discovered more than 1,300 packs of counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco along with bottles of fake Arctic Vodka. Documents relating to a large-scale loan shark operation in the Rosendale area were also found at one of the locations. BURNLEY EXPRESS (TUESDAY) 03/04/2012 UK

Fake goods donated to charity A £120,000 haul of fake designer clothing, footwear and handbags is donated to charity. The counterfeit goods, which have been seized at Castle Donington Market over the last 18 months, will be sent to charities across the UK and abroad. The mail reported in December that Leicestershire CC has seized thousands of fake Nike, adidas, Jack Wills, Ugg Boots and Radley goods at the market. BURTON & SOUTH DERBYSHIRE ADVERTISER 04/04/2012 UK

Internet shirts not the real deal AN ONLINE trader who sold hundreds of fake England football shirts branded ‘110 percent genuine Umbro’ has been ordered to pay back £35,000 Under the proceeds of crime Act he was ordered to pay back the £35,842.28 profit he made or face 12 months behind bars. SHEFFIELD STAR (SERIES) 05/04/2012 UK

Crackdown on illegal tobacco Children are being put a risk of the use of illegal tobacco across Norfolk, according to health and school bosses. The warning comes ahead of a crackdown on the illicit trade. More than a third of people in Norfolk have been offered illegal tobacco (34%) and one in 10 admits to buying it, according to the research carried out by the East of England Tobacco Control Team (EETC). Access to cut-price tobacco makes it easier for children and young people to smoke and can bring them into contact with criminals. NORWICH EVENING NEWS 06/04/2012 UK

Licence surrendered A STORE caught trading in illicit imported booze and counterfeit cigarettes have voluntarily surrendered its alcohol licence. Nearby residents has also complained of antisocial behaviour in the area around European Foods on Borough Road Middlesbrough. Concerns had been raised by police that one store, near the junction with Union Street, had been continuously flouting the law. Cleveland police applied for a review of the premises licence on the grounds of prevention of crime and disorder and public nuisance. TEESSIDE EVENING GAZETTE 06/04/2012 UK

Fake alcohol seizures are highest in Britain There were more seizures of counterfeit alcohol in Havering last year than in any other local authority in the country, according to a survey. Trading Standards officers in the borough carried out 22 raids of fake alcohol goods in 2011, in a massive increase from just four in 2010 and three in 2009. Research by Engineering and Technology Magazine revealed the figures last week, as part of comparison of more than 80 local authorities in the UK. ROMFORD RECORDER 06/04/2012 UK

PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Plain-pack cigarettes will boost smuggling HEALTH Secretary Andrew Lansley faces a backlash over his crackdown on smoking, with critics warning it could lead to more smuggling. Crime experts say plans to insist on plain packaging for cigarettes will make counterfeit packets and sell them in the UK. But the European researches say the clampdown could lead to an explosion in crime. SUNDAY MIRROR 08/04/2012 UK

A local Off-License has been caught selling illegal alcohol Londis News on Lodge Road, Southampton, has been banned from selling alcohol for a week after Police seized a record number of counterfeit bottles. 124 bottles of vodka and wine, all counterfeit or non duty paid, were found after a customer complained. The shop owner, Minesh Narenda Patel, avoided a three month drink sales ban after stating that he was ‘conned’. Mr Patel also insisted that he would not allow it to happen again when he appeared before the city Council’s licensing sub-committee. The haul included forged bottles of Jacob’s Creek wine, on which ‘Australia’ was misspelled, and bottles of ‘Arctic Ice Vodka’, which is a fake brand. Bottles of Prince Consort vodka (a genuine brand of vodka) were also found to be faulty, after the manufacturers stated that it was of ‘poor quality’. The shop is popular with students living in it’s vicinity. WESSEXSCENE.CO.UK 11/04/12 UK; SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 10/04/2012 UK; SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 10/04/2012 UK

Fake Jamaican sauce suppliers convicted MEN who supplied fake copies of a top Jamaican sauce to supermarkets including one in Wembley have been convicted. Sanjay Wadhwani, 45, and Vikas Shah, 34, of Wanis Ltd, were each convicted at Harrow Crown Court last Wednesday for supplying fake Pickapeppa Sauce to Asda and Tesco supermarkets. Genuine Pickapeppa Sauce is made in Shooter Hill, Jamaica. Information related to the sale of the illegal sauce came to the attention of Brent and Harrow Trading Standards Service following a complaint from Asda in Wembley. WEMBLEY & WILLESDON OBSERVER 12/04/2012 UK

Counterfeiters £30,000 seized A COUNTERFEITER has had nearly £30,000 seized by the Crown under the Proceeds of Crime Act. A confiscation order was made against Matthew Harkins at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court yesterday for £29,507.43. He was also fined £1000. Harkins, 52, from Bridge of Weir, had previously pled guilty to having in his possession, custody or control, with a view to selling or letting for hire, footwear and clothing which bore a sign identical to or likely to be mistaken for a registered trademark. HERALD, THE (GLASGOW) 14/04/2012

Off licence is fined for counterfeit wine AN off licence was caught selling bottles of counterfeit wine thanks to the dodgy spelling. Hazel Supermarket in Bournemouth was ordered to pay £670 in fines and costs after an investigation by trading standards. The counterfeit bottles of Jacob’s Creek were known to be circulating and had mistakes like `Austrlia` and `Drink Responsibiliy` on the label. The bottles were spotted and seized before Christmas by officers who visited the store in Wimborne Road, Kinson. BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 18/04/2012 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: March 2012 Shop owner fined over fake tobacco A Bradford shopkeeper traded in illicit cigarettes and tobacco from his city centre store. Barzan Mahmad, 25 who owned Ivegate news in Ivegate, pleaded guilty to a series of charges relating to illegal tobacco products which were found at his shop by Trading Standards. He admitted four charges relating to the possession of counterfeit tobacco products, five relating to products not carrying statutory health warnings and one charge of not displaying a sign stating that tobacco could not be sold to anyone under the age of 18. BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS (SERIES) 01/03/2012 UK

Illicit cigs paid for holidays to Spain A 74-YEAR-OLD man who funded holidays to Benidorm by selling illicit cigarettes on the black market from his St Helens home has been placed under a curfew. Pensioner Leslie Briers was prosecuted after police visited his home on Bruce Street in June last year where they found a huge stash of illicit cigarette and hand rolling tobacco. The hoard included fake Regal King Size, smuggled Golden Virginia and a variety of “cheap whites”, which are unbranded cigarettes produced in China and Eastern Europe that have no legitimate place on UK market. ST HELENS STAR 01/03/2012 UK

Shopkeeper is fined for selling illegal cigarettes A LEIGH shopkeeper has been found guilty of selling illegal cigarettes and tobacco following an investigation by Wigan Council Trading Standards. Asad Khan, the owner of Leigh discount store UK Ltd, served an undercover TS officer in July last year. A subsequent raid of the premises revealed a cache of cigarettes and tobacco hidden in a compartment cut into a staircase. LEIGH, TYLDESLEY & ATHERTON JOURNAL 01/03/2012 UK

Further warning for counterfeit traders The potential dangers posed by garages and workshops buying and using counterfeit automotive technical software has once again been highlighted following recent raids by Stoke-on-Trent Trading Standards officials. The Council mounted a two day operation which resulted in software and computers being seized from a trader who was supplying counterfeit goods to local car repair workshops. Commenting on the operation, Councillor Gwen Hassall said: “We are very concerned about the use of illegal software. Such software will not contain manufacturers’ safety updates, which places road users at risk.” PROFESSIONAL MOTOR MECHANIC 01/03/2012 UK

Warning to counterfeiters as men sentenced by court TRADERS and individuals who decide to supply counterfeit goods over the internet or through local supply chains could face legal action and substantial penalties, Powys County Council has warned. The warning has been issued by the council’s Trading Standards Service after it successfully prosecuted two men for supplying counterfeit make-up some of which had dangerous levels of lead. The men were sentenced by Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court. A forfeiture order was also ordered made for approximate 150 counterfeit cosmetic products found at the premises of Mr Jones. MID WALES JOURNAL 02/03/2012 UK

Fake designer goods saleswoman is ordered to pay back A trader convicted of selling counterfeit designer goods in Romford has been ordered to pay back £24,000 in earnings. Barbara Hubbard was caught with more than £2,300 illegal goods after being visiting by Havering Council officers at a car boot fair. The 48 years-old pleaded guilty to offences under section 92 of the Trade Marks Act and was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court last April. ROMFORD RECORDER 02/03/2012 UK

Off-licences pay a total of £2,696 for selling counterfeit Jacob’s Creek wine Two Romford off-licences have been fined for selling bottles of counterfeit Jacob’s Creek wine to unsuspecting customers. At Havering Magistrates’ Court on Friday last week, Defne Ltd, trading as 5 Star Food ‘n’ Wine pleaded guilty to having 41 bottles of the counterfeit Jacob’s Creek wine for sale and selling a bottle to Havering Council’s Trading Standards officers. ROMFORD RECORDER 02/03/2012 UK; EAST LONDON ENQUIRER 15/03/2012 UK

Fake Fags Penalty A BUSINESSMAN who refused to give the council information about illegal tobacco ended up with thousands of pounds of fines. Blackburn with Darwen Council officers visited AK Cash and Carry Ltd, in Queens Road, Blackburn, to investigate who had supplied fake cigarettes found in the shop in March 2011. But they were blanked by employee Abdul Jabbar and Director Shammus Jabbar, who each received a £500 cost order, for failing to provide details. The business itself was fined £2000, with £665 costs. LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH 03/03/2012 & 09/03/2012 UK

Man admits fake goods scam A MUTLEY man has admitted charges in connection with a £50,000 fake clothes scam. Paul Porter pleaded guilty to five out of 12 charges when he appeared at Plymouth Crown Court. He was accused of having 1,350 counterfeit garments, many of them replica football shirts, at his home in Beechwood Terrace. He imported them from China, planning to sell them on auction website eBay. Plymouth CC, prosecuting, claims the value of counterfeit goods seized, had they been genuine, would have been £50,849. PLYMOUTH HERALD 03/03/2012 UK

Fake designer goods found in home raids A HAUL of counterfeit goods has been found during raids on illegal tobacco houses in Middlesbrough. The branded fakes were unearthed by Middlesbrough trading standards officers during the latest phase of their on-going tobacco crackdown. Alongside a haul of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco, one of the houses targeted also contained a large quantity of branded goods including sports and designer wear, perfume and hair straighteners. MIDDLESBROUGH EVENING GAZETTE 05/03/2012 UK

Traders warned on counterfeit goods Traders on markets across Walsall have been warned they will be caught if selling counterfeit goods from their stalls. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 08/03/2012 UK

6,000 cigarettes are seized in police sting NEARLY 6,000 cigarettes and 18kg of tobacco were seized across North and West Cumbria. Officers from HMRC joined Trading Standards, Police and the NW illicit tobacco team to raid homes in Carlisle, Workington, Whitehaven and Frizington. They searched for counterfeit or non-duty paid tobacco, incorrectly labelled cigarettes and illegal hand rolling tobacco. EAST CUMBRIAN GAZETTE 08/03/2012 UK

£300K Counterfeit clothes haul charity The items were all seized by trading standards officers from unscrupulous and illegal trade’s people throughout the County. Thousands of clothing and footwear items, including fake adidas T-shirts, Calvin Klein underwear and Ugg boots, are now winging their way to the International Aid Trust, which raises money to support those in need across the UK and around the globe.NUNEATON NEWS 09/03/2012 UK COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 09/03/2012 UK; STRATFORD ON AVON MIDWEEK 13/03/2012 UK; CANNOCK MERCURY 29/03/12 UK; CANNOCK & LICHFIELD CHRONICLE 29/03/12

Extra five years in prison for selling fake golf clubs A Rainham man who was convicted of masterminding a global golf club scam has been sentenced to another five years in prison after failing to pay back proceeds of crime totalling just under £1million. Gary Bellchambers of Dunedin Road has now been sentenced to a total of nine years and three months for his part in the scam. It is said to be the largest custodial sentence resulting from a Trading Standards investigation. ROMFORD RECORDER 09/03/2012 UK

Trader caught with stall full of fake goods. A trader was caught selling hundreds of pounds worth of fake football and film memorabilia on a stall inside the Merry Hill shopping centre, a court heard. TS officers swooped on Kevin Kudhail’s stand where they found counterfeit goods including West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham City, Chelsea and Arsenal placemats and coasters. There was also fake Harry Potter and Scooby Doo merchandise. Kudhail, who lives in Pringle, Derby admitted having the goods and said he did not check they were legitimate when he bought them from dealers. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 10/03/2012 UK

Fake clothes man in court A MAN has admitted buying counterfeit clothing and shoes and selling them on Facebook. Ian Screen, 26, of Clifton Avenue, Blackpool, admitted six offences of selling goods bearing false trademarks. He will have others offences taken into consideration when he is sentenced at Preston Crown Court on May 3. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 15/03/2012 UK

Alcohol used for energy Fake alcohol seized by Lincolnshire Trading Standards, the police and HMRC is being turned into electricity. Hundreds of bottles taken from shops across the Lincolnshire have been recycled and a tonne of counterfeit alcohol containing a potentially lethal concoction of chemicals has been turned into electricity. STAMFORD MERCURY SERIES 16/03/2012 UK; SCUNTHORPE EVENING TELEGRAPH 22/03/12 UK

Top names among clothing for sale were designer fakes A SHOPKEEPER had pirate designer goods for sale at his shop. Sadiq Asmal Patel, 36, who runs a shop in Dale Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to four offences of possessing goods with counterfeit trade marks and asked for nine similar offences to be considered. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 16/03/2012 UK

Skin rash cause by fake make-up FAKE cosmetics are being sold in the Borough say Council TS officers after the seizure of several large consignments of counterfeit make-up from market stalls. Over the past three months they have found cosmetics branded as a MAC, Lancôme, Dior, CHANEL, Bobbi Brown and Benefit. The fakes came to the officers’ attention when someone complained that they came out in a skin rash after purchasing MAC products from the stall. EAST END LIFE 19/03/2012 UK

Health risk from fakes Fined for fake wine: A MAN has been fined £1,375 for dealing in fake Jacob’s Creek and Bollinger wines. Sadi Ince, 46, of Stoke Newington, pleaded guilty to three offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994 at the Thames Magistrates Court on March 1. The Court heard evidence that Ince sold the fake wine in his business Ince Supermarket in Hackney Road, Bethnal Green after buying it from rogue traders. EAST END LIFE 19/03/2012 UK

Not my bag Louis Vuitton is suing the makers of The Hangover II saying the counterfeit handbag branded a Lewis Vuitton created consumer confusion. GUARDIAN, THE 20/03/2012 UK

Tobacco and machines seized CUSTOMS officers raided a ‘rural farm building’ near Leighton Buzzard on Thursday in a crackdown on a counterfeit tobacco operation. It is believed the manufacturing and distribution activities of the gang behind the operation would have resulted in a loss to the public purse of £6 million. LEIGHTON BUZZARD OBSERVER 20/03/2012 UK

TRADER IS JAILED OVER FAKE DESIGNER CLOTHES A TRADER has been jailed for nine months after he was caught with counterfeit designer goods. Ibrahim Guder, 33, of Willowfield, Harlow, was sentenced to nine months in prison last week after being convicted of ten offences under the Trademarks Act at Southwark Crown Court in February and jailed for eight months after admitting two more offences. The sentences will run concurrently. ENFIELD ADVERTISER 21/03/12

Trader sold fake JLS clothing A TRADER has avoided jail after he was caught selling counterfeit clothes on a market. Harkesh Kumar, 53, from Birmingham, appeared before Milton Keynes magistrates on Friday to plead guilty to selling counterfeit clothing and ten offences of selling counterfeit goods. He admitted two offences of selling counterfeit clothing and ten offences of possessing clothes for sale in the course of his business. MILTON KEYNES NEWS 22/03/2012 UK

Market trader caught with counterfeit clothing A Harlesden trader who was caught with counterfeit clothing en route to Wembley Market has been sentenced. Harrow Crown Court heard how Akbar Askarzadah’s van was crammed with hundreds of fake t- shirts, polo tops, shirts, hooded tops, jackets and trainers bearing designer names including Ed Hardy, Nike and Armani. If the goods had been genuine they would have been worth more than £80,000. KILBURN TIMES 22/03/2012 UK

Counterfeit booze plea EAST YORKS: people from across the region are being urged to be on the look out for off-licences selling counterfeit alcohol. A store owner from Anlaby Road, West Hull, was recently fined at Hull Magistrates’ Court. The owner was fined £300 and ordered to pay £500 costs for having bottles of counterfeit vodka. The details emerged in the latest edition of the Neighbourhood Network community newsletter. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 22/03/12 UK

Vodka in bar was cleaning fluid-court YOUNG drinkers were served watered-down cleaning fluid as vodka by a bar owner trying to make a ‘fast back’. Ali Asgari bought 39 bottles of cheap industrial spirit labelled Arctic Ice Vodka which he sold to drinkers unaware it can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blindness and even more death. Asgari, aged, 55, owned Soul Bar and Oxygen in Barnsley at the time of the offences last July, and when he was running short on vodka paid £30 for six bottles of the spirit which contained chloroform and ethanol. SHEFFIELD STAR (SERIES) 23/03/12

WOMAN SOLD FAKE BANGLES ON INTERNET A WOMAN who sold fake designer jewellery on the internet has been given a conditional discharge. Lindsey Dickson, 39, of Golf Drive, Nuneaton, sold Pandora style bracelets in counterfeit Pandora packaging for a few pounds each. Coventry Crown Court heard there was no evidence to suggest people thought they were buying anything other than fakes because of the low prices. Genuine products can sell up to hundreds of pounds. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 23/03/12 UK

RECESSION IS BLANED FOR SALE OF DODGY BOOZE THE economic climate is tempting cash-strapped Birmingham off-licences and pubs to sell illegal and potentially deadly booze – putting consumers’ lives at risk, watchdogs have revealed. In a 4 day special operation, police, trading standards, customs, environmental health and licensing officers swooped on 49 Birmingham firms in the hunt for illegal alcohol. The initiative discovered a staggering amount of banned booze worth more than £100,000 on sale at 18 of the targeted businesses, including pubs, off-licences, independent shops, convenience stores and working men’s clubs. Officers seized 443 bottles of spirits, 1,620 bottles of wine and 15,480 cans of beer in the series of raids last December. BIRMINGHAM MAIL 23/03/12 UK

Shopkeepers’ £22k fake fags TWO shopkeepers had £22,000 fake and illegal cigarettes seized form their grocery store during raids by Trading Standards. Soran Talibani, 33, and Saco Fatahi, 32, of Gloucester Groceries, Station Road, pleaded guilty in Court to 42 charges of supplying illegal tobacco. GLOUCESTER CITIZEN 26/03/2012 UK

Couple guilty of £1m designer clothing con A husband and wife from the Black Country were jailed for running a £1million fake designer clothes racket from their home. Hayley and Keith Horton bought cheap outfits from a charity and sold them for a huge profit, Wolverhampton Crown Court Heard. Wags Classy Rags peddled thousands of fake Karen Millen dresses and other bogus designer items. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 27/03/2012 & 28/03/2012 UK

Shop loses licence over selling fake alcohol A CONVENIENCE store has had its licence to sell alcohol revoked by the Council, following a year-long Trading Standards investigation. Best one in the Broadway was found to be selling potentially hazardous counterfeit alcohol and cigarettes. CRAWLEY NEWS 28/03/2012 UK

Council to recycle counterfeit equipment seized by officers COUNCIL officials have vowed to recycle a raft of counterfeit goods seized by trading standards officers from bogus traders operating in the Borough. Fake Iron gym kits, Ped Eggs, EZ combs and miracle dry foam were among the items seized during raids on a suspect company in September last year ENFIELD GAZETTE 28/03/2012 UK; ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 28/03/2012 UK

Police: Selling counterfeit goods will not be tolerated FOLLOWING the decision to revoke the Best One Licence, Sergeant Tony Jarred, of West Sussex Neighbourhood Licensing Team, said: “Sussex Police supported the application for the review of the premises licence after West Sussex Trading Standards found evidence of illegal goods at the premises on three separate occasions”. CRAWLEY OBSERVER 28/03/2012 UK

Cheap booze deals scrutinised CORNER shops are being warned to avoid buying cheap booze from ‘white van men’ after a string of traders have fallen foul of the law. West Yorkshire Trading Standards has warned off-licences not to fall into the trap of buying alcohol at knock-down prices from illegal suppliers. BATLEY & BIRSTALL NEWS 29/03/2012 UK

Dodgy trader fined for bling ‘bargain’ sale A DODGY trader has been fined after she was caught selling hundreds of pieces of fake designer jewellery, watches and handbags for as little as a fiver. Trading Standards officers swooped on her stall, which claimed to offer popular brands including Louis Vuitton, Rolex and Juicy Couture, to find goods that would be worth more than £120,000 if genuine. All the dodgy goods, which included bracelets, necklaces, hair clips, watches and earrings, were seized by the council and destroyed. EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS 29/03/12 UK

Fake Viagra salesman spared jail term A Wembley man who sold fake Viagra and other counterfeit erectile dysfunction drugs over the internet has received a suspended jail term. Mariusz Lewandowsky, 35, was caught after officers form the Medicines and Healthcare products regulatory Agency (MHRA) bought “original Blue pills” which he was selling on online website Ebay. Tests on the tablets determined they were fake and when MHRA raided his home they seized around £6,400 worth of fake Viagra, Cialis, Kamagra and Stud 100 (Lidocaine). KILBURN TIMES 29/03/12

Car boot sale alert as officials set to pounce Customs officials were out patrolling car boot sales this weekend after more than £100,000 of counterfeit goods were seized in the region. The fake goods, netted at a car boot sales in Dark Lane, Featherstone, last Sunday, included 6,000 DVDs, 300 bottles of perfume and aftershave, 75 pairs of sunglasses, 350 items of clothing and 2,000 packets of cigarettes. A man has been arrested and bailed in connection of with the haul. A warning has now been issued to illegal traders. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 31/3/12 Country: UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: February 2012 Combating the counterfeit The organisation for economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says counterfeiting is costing companies (£160bn) worldwide, while the technology industry annually loses as much as (£6.4bn) according to the alliance for Gray Market and Counterfeit Abatement and KPMG LLP. Counterfeit is big business, living brand owners counting a significant cost one that is predicted to reach (900bn) by 2016. PRINT MONTHLY 01/02/2012 UK

FAKES IN JULY LAST YEAR, five men were incinerated in an instant, after the Lincolnshire warehouse where they worked exploded. Chemicals found inside the burnt out unit at Broadfield Lane industrial Estate in Boston indicated alcohol was being produced illegally. Several months earlier, Trading Standards, HM Revenue and Customs and police seized cigarettes and drink, including counterfeit vodka from six shops in the town. ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY 01/02/2012 UK

Trader admits selling fake Uggs from stall A market trader sold fake Ugg boots, Oral-B toothbrush heads and Ambi-Pur air freshener from his stall in Wolverhampton, a court heard. Alex Payne stocked the counterfeit goods on his stall at the city’s outdoor market in Salop Street. Trading Standards officers were alerted to the fake products by a market officer. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 01/02/2012 UK

Illegal tobacco is seized in police raid Police have seized illegal tobacco from a Cornwall property following an investigation by Trading Standards. Jack Yates, from TS, explained that the officers posing as members of the public had visited the premises to buy a sample of the tobacco to check authenticity. "All the 12 items purchased were found to be illegal to supply in the UK," he said. WESTERN MORNING NEWS (SERIES) 01/02/2012 UK

Suspended sentence for broker in cigarettes scam A SOUTH Normanton man who acted as a broker in a multi-million-pound fake cigarettes operation in Derbyshire has been given a suspended jail term. Peter Ben, 44, of George Street, was handed a 10-month sentence, suspended for a year, and a four month curfew. A criminal gang had set up a factory in Chesterfield capable of making up to 625 million counterfeit cigarettes and five million pouches of fake tobacco a year. DERBY TELEGRAPH 01/02/2012 UK

Fake designer brands TWO market traders have been prosecuted for possessing and selling counterfeit sports and designer clothing. The brands the pair were selling included Nike, adidas, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Burberry, Lyle and Scott, Henley, Lacoste. Checks later revealed they were fakes. Both men claimed they thought the goods were genuine, but admitted they had not checked. WEST SUSSEX GAZETTE 01/02/2012 UK

Taking the fight to global fakers The act of counterfeiting has been a source of revenue for many devious (and in some cases skilled) individuals for centuries. But in today’s global consumer society, it can also have serious repercussions. The internet is a fertile trading ground for counterfeit medication. Consumers, sometimes desperate for cheap alternatives haves resorted to the web, sourcing products from the Far East. The problem is that this represents a very real danger for those prepared to take the risk. PACKAGING NEWS 01/02/2012 UK

Bogus booze bottles seized by council SOME 14 bottles of ‘drop vodka’ were seized after trading standards officers inspected off licences across Central Bedfordshire. Bogus booze can be dangerous to drink and officers from Central Beds Council recently conducted spot checks on 50 shops in the district. Bogus booze is cheap and often nasty. Drinkers could have been blinded by drinking out of some of the bottles our officers have seized. BIGGLESWADE ADVERTISER 01/02/2012 UK

Illicit tobacco dealer couple jailed A COUPLE who ran an illicit enterprise dealing in smuggled tobacco and cigarettes have been jailed. Nearly 400,000 cigarettes and 234 kilos of hand rolling tobacco were seized from a self storage unit rented by Melving and Serena Mellors, at Whittington Moor, Chesterfield, in February. DERBYSHIRE TIMES (SERIES) 02/02/2012 UK

Fake tobacco gang is jailed CRIMINAL gang members who set up a factory capable of making up to 625 million counterfeit cigarettes and five million pouches of fake hand rolling tobacco have been jailed. During the raid, at the plant of Tapton Business Park, HM Revenue and Customs investigators seized packaging for 43 million cigarettes, cigarette paper, tipping paper, foil cellophane, glue and cardboard inners for packets of 20 cigarettes. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 01/02/2012 UK; DERBYSHIRE TIMES (SERIES) 02/02/2012 UK; DERBY TELEGRAPH 01/02/2012 UK; CANNOCK & LICHFIELD CHRONICLE 02/02/2012

Huge rise in hooch SEIZURES of fake booze have rocketed five-fold in three years, a report says. ‘Hooch’ drinks, which can be Fatal are the most common goods tracked by trading standards. Between June 2008 and June 2009, UK officers made 31 seizures but in the year of June 2011 the figure had jumped to 158. Confiscation of fake tobacco also soared 311%, found the study by the institution of engineering technology. SUN, THE 03/02/2012 UK; GUARDIAN, THE 03/02/2012 UK

Fake designer brands TWO market traders have been prosecuted for possessing and selling counterfeit sports and designer clothing. Brands the pair were selling included Nike, Adidas, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Burberry, Lyle and Scott, Henley, Lacoste. Checks later revealed they were fakes. Both men claimed they thought the goods were genuine, but admitted they had not checked. WEST SUSSEX GAZETTE 01/02/2012 UK

Fake goods worth £1m seized at market Eight people have been arrested after police confiscated £I million of fake goods on sale at Wembley Market over the weekend. The eight were bailed after police raided the market amid concerns that unfair competition was having a "disastrous impact" on honest market stall holders. HARROW TIMES 02/02/2012 UK

Council pledges to target unscrupulous traders ROGUE traders who use car boot sales to sell their shoddy wares are being targeted by Cheshire East Council. The authority wants to stamp out trading in counterfeit goods after an incident in High Leigh in January. The council’s consumer protection and investigations team is now warning people who think they can exploit the area’s legitimate trading events to sell counterfeit goods that will not be tolerated. CREWE & NANTWICH GUARDIAN 02/02/2012 UK

Dodgy booze seized from shops and bars ILLEGAL vodka made from diluted industrial cleaner has been seized from bars and shops across Barnsley. The 'food fraud' has increased rapidly during the recession, said senior Trading Standards officer Christina Heeley. And dodgy booze is at the forefront ranging from beer cans with doctored sell-by dates, to dangerous spirits. BARNSLEY CHRONICLE (SERIES) 03/02/2012 UK

Eight times as much lead in counterfeit cigs Counterfeit cigarettes being sold in Sussex contain abnormally high levels of cancer-causing chemicals, smokers have been warned. Some brands seized in the county had eight times the amount of lead found in legitimate tobacco. The tests follow a BBC investigation into the illegal cigarettes trade in Hastings and St Leonards. RETAIL NEWSAGENT 03/02/2012 UK

Woman ran fake goods website A Blackpool woman ran an Internet shopping site for counterfeit goods, a court was told. Resort Magistrates Court was told by Blackpool Council prosecutor Victoria Cartmell Screen and a co-accused went to a warehouse in Manchester. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 03/02/2012 UK

Fakes financed couples lifestyle A DONCASTER couple have been parted after they were sentenced for money laundering and counterfeit goods offences. Philip Cummings, aged 46, was jailed for 15 months while Sarah Hutchinson, 34, received a nine-month sentence, suspended for two years at Doncaster Crown Court. The couple, who lived in Alderson Drive, Town Moor, Doncaster copied CDs and DVDs, fake handbags, fake GHD hair products and other trademarked goods. DONCASTER STAR 04/02/2012 UK

BAN FOR FAKE CIGGIES SELLER A SOUTH Liverpool man who sold counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco was banned from the city’s markets. The 42, year-old, was ordered to stay away from indoor and outdoor markets in Liverpool after the court heard he had been selling counterfeit goods near to Great Homer Street market. LIVERPOOL ECHO 06/02/2012 UK

‘Pirate goods’ man in court A MAN is accused of having fake goods in Blackpool. Sadiq Patel, 36, of Oxford Street, Preston, faces 13 offences of possessing goods with false trademarks at Blackpool in May last year. It is alleged the goods included tracksuits, trainers and T-shirts with Logos by Nike, adidas and Rockport. The case was adjourned to February 29 by Blackpool magistrates. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 06/02/2012 UK

CONMAN NETTED £30K IN eBAY SCAM A FRAUDSTER who made £30,000 from a counterfeit clothing racket on eBay has been ordered to pay the money back to the public purse. Alan Davison, of Clays Lane, Branston, was found guilty of two charges of possessing counterfeit goods when he appeared at Stafford Crown Court. The 57-year-old bought fake Ralph Lauren’ and Lacoste T-shirts and jumpers from China before selling them on the popular online auction site Trading Standards officials seized 100 items of clothing during a raid on his house in November 2010. BURTON MAIL 07/02/2012 UK

Letters go to 2,500 outlets to warn of cut-price booze risk LICENCED premises in Derbyshire have been sent letters saying that they face prosecution if they are found selling counterfeit alcohol. The county council said it had written to 2,500 businesses after "a rise in cases across the region". It is also warning consumers of the health risk of buying cut price booze. "If spirits are being sold at unusually low prices, at retail outlets or boot fairs, out of the back of vehicles or in car parks, they are likely to be counterfeit and can be dangerous. DERBY TELEGRAPH 07/02/2012 UK

Warning over fake booze sales OFF-LICENCE owners have been warned about the dangers of selling fake alcohol and cigarettes after a rise in seizures. Derbyshire County Council’s trading standards has written to all 2,500 licensed premises across the county warning they face persecution if found selling illegal products. SHEFFIELD STAR (SERIES) 08/02/2012 UK; BURTON MAIL 08/02/2012 UK; RIPLEY & HEANOR NEWS 09/02/2012 UK

Couple imported cigarettes illegally A HUSBAND and wife who illegally imported hundreds and thousands of cigarettes are to be sentenced next week. Geoffrey Peter Jones, 42, and Donna Marie Jones, 43, of Toft Close, Saltney, have admitted multiple charges involving the laundering of cigarettes worth more than £185,000. Chester Crown Court heard Geoffrey Jones, owner of a fruit and vegetable shop in Wrexham, was stopped by police in his van on April 16th 2010. LEADER (WREXHAM) 09/02/2012 UK

Game is over for fake goods couple A COUPLE sold fake goods netting thousands of pounds which enabled them to fund a lavish life style. Philip Cummings was jailed, while Sarah Hutchinson received a suspended sentence for their scam which helped pay their family mortgage and a high-value Range Rover. The duo of Alderson Drive, Town Moor, copied CDs and DVDs fake handbags, fake GHD hair products and other trade marked goods. DONCASTER FREE PRESS 09/02/2012 UK

Boffins shine a light on fake alcohol problem A team of scientists have unveiled the latest weapon in the war on counterfeit alcohol, a hand-held device that identifies fakes without opening the bottle. The device works by using a beam light to analyse the contents. It provides a ‘signature’ of the liquid, which is then compared to a signature of the genuine article. GROCER 11/02/2012 UK

Cleaning fluid in bottles of vodka A CONVENIENCE store which sold illegal vodka from under the counter could be set to lose its licence. Kirkham’s Londis store sold dozens of bottles of vodka containing a cleaning fluid substance while a 13-year- old boy was also caught selling alcohol to an under-age girl. Now, Lancashire polices are calling on Fylde Council to consider stripping the Station Road store of its licence. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 14/02/2012 UK

Raids launched on counterfeiters tracked down from Facebook TRADING standards officials are undertaking a series of unprecedented raids on counterfeiters across North Yorkshire, using information gleaned from Facebook. In a move senior police say they have not yet seen in the country, North Yorkshire County Council trading standards officers are currently conducting a wide- ranging series of Facebook raids on illegal traders they have tracked down and followed using the social networking site. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 14/02/2012 UK

DAD JAILED FOR £200K CIGARETTE SCAM A FATHER of four has been jailed after illegally importing nearly £200,000 worth of cigarettes into the country. Lorry driver Geoffrey Peter Jones, 42, was jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty to multiple charges involving the laundering of cigarettes worth more than £185,000. His wife, Donna Marie Jones, 43, a dinner lady, was also sentenced yesterday after she admitted attempting to help cover up her husband’s crimes as police executed a search warrant at their home. LEADER (CHESTER) 15/02/2012 UK

Shop owner in court over counterfeits A BUSINESS owner has been prosecuted for selling fake goods from his store in County Durham. Joe Tanos, 23 of Bingfield Gardens in Newcastle, appeared at Peterlee Magistrates' Court. He pleaded guilty to seven offences of selling fake goods, including Ugg hooded sweatshirts and boots, an Ed Hardy purse and CHANEL jewellery. Magistrates gave Mr Tanos a community order requiring him to complete 120 hours of unpaid work. JOURNAL, THE (NEWCASTLE) 16/02/2012 UK

Men deny selling fake designer clothes TWO men have denied selling fake designer clothes from a city shop. Oxfordshire Trading Standards raided Labels 4 Less in Oxford’s Magdalen Street and seized hundreds of items. Shop owner Matthew Croxson appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday and denied seven charges. His business partner Matthew Brooks appeared at the same court last week and denied eight charges. The allegations stem from the raid in April 2010. OXFORD MAIL 17/02/2012 UK

Fakes at market seized in raid Fake designer clothes worth thousands of pounds have been seized from Walsall Market. More than 300 counterfeit goods were found at the stall in Bradford Street following a tip-off to the council. The authority’s trading standards officers swooped to seize boxer shorts, scarves, hats and socks. Fake trademarks were used including Ugg, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein and Armani and had they been genuine would be worth £4,000. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 18/02/2012 UK; EXPRESS & STAR - MID STAFFS (CANNOCK & LICHFIELD) 22/02/2012 UK

Public split on buying fake clothes BARBOUR have declared war on fakes. The world-famous clothing firm, based in South Shields, has employed a specialist firm to track down factories which are making copies of their top-range clothing – and shut them down. It has also teamed up with an expert internet security firm to try to nip counterfeit online sales in the bud. Group finance director, Brenda Readman-Bell, said the production of fakes had risen drastically since the firm’s recent move into the fashion market, adding that Manchester was a counterfeit hotspot. SOUTH SHIELDS GAZETTE 18/02/2012 UK

No evidence plain packaging will lessen cigarette appeal... THERE is no evidence that government proposals to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes will lessen their appeal, a think tank says. The Adam Smith Institute released a report arguing that the plans will do nothing for public health and are ‘profoundly illiberal’. The Government is to launch a public consultation on putting cigarettes in plain packaging so that all tobacco products look alike. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 20/02/2012 UK

Counterfeit sex drugs seized in home raids A HAUL of suspected counterfeit sex drugs worth an estimated of £140,000 has been found in police raids. Around 28,000 suspected counterfeit erectile dysfunction tablets were seized by the Medicines Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency enforcement team from three homes. The raids took place at homes in Albert Street and Moore Lane in Loughborough, and in Frazier Street, South East London. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 23/02/2012 UK; SCARBOROUGH EVENING NEWS 23/02/2012 UK; EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 23/02/2012 UK

Counterfeit brand names found on market stall A MARKET trader narrowly escaped jail after he was caught selling counterfeit clothing at Milton Keynes market. Harkesh Kuma, from Birmingham, appeared before Milton Keynes magistrates on Friday to plead guilty to selling counterfeit goods, following a case brought by Milton Keynes Council’s trading standards service. MILTON KEYNES CITIZEN 23/02/2012 UK

Supermarket owner fined for selling fake alcohol THE owner of Catering’s supermarket has been fined £1,000 for selling fake wine. Harlow magistrates also ordered Muru Visana to pay £500 costs after they were told he had to pay £2,500 for the ‘Australian’ wine from someone he though was from a reputable cash and carry business. BISHOP`S STORTFORD & SAWBRIDGEWORTH OBSERVER 23/02/2012 UK

Stubbing out illegal sales A TRADER who sold illegal cigarettes and counterfeit DVDs has been put behind bars. Ari Safay sold the tobacco and DVDs in Hull despite receiving formal warnings on several occasions. He had previously pleaded guilty to four offences under tobacco regulations, which prohibit the sale of foreign labelled cigarettes in the UK. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 25/02/2012 UK

BOOM IN FAKE CIGS MORE than a quarter of all cigarettes in the UK are either fake or smuggled in costing us billions of pounds in lost tax experts warn. And that number is set to soar as smokers are hit with a 5.1% duty hike in next month’s budget. At present a leading brand packet of 20 already costs over £7, including tax. SUNDAY MIRROR 26/02/2012 UK

Watch this man A gangland hood is organising a massive luxury watch scam while on home leave from prison. Azeem Sarwaar, 25, is recruiting a team of beautiful young women and sending them into top-end jewellers with high-quality fake timepieces. The girls then distract the fake owners and assistants while switching their dodgy Tag Heuer watches for the genuine articles, worth up to 10,000. Sarwaar serving almost 12 years for assault, robbery and firearms offences uses high quality fakes flown in from Dubai to trick jewellers. SCOTTISH SUNDAY MAIL 26/02/2012 UK

Fake Olympic glasses seized by council officers FAKE Olympic sunglasses have been seized from a Birmingham wholesaler in a crackdown on counterfeits by consumer watchdogs. Around 60 pairs of shades, which featured the five Olympic rings and are reminiscent of the specs that made a star of 1980s TV presenter Timmy Mallet, were seized from a Hockley warehouse. Officers from Birmingham City Council Trading Standards team swooped on the firm, which cannot be named for legal reasons, after a tip-off from a member of the public. BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY MERCURY 26/02/2012 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: January 2012

Found a bargain? Make sure it isn’t fake Consumers are unwittingly buying cheap, Fake and potentially dangerous goods online, a Which? Survey has found. Which? Trading Standards have unearthed knock-off electronics including fake iPhones, Nintendo DSi games consoles and Nintendo Wii power supplies. WHICH? 01/01/2012 UK

Learn how to spot fake vodka Don’t be tempted to save by buying fake vodka, consumers have been warned. Tests on counterfeit bottles seized recently from around the country contained alarming levels of methanol, a key ingredient used to make anti-freeze and various other industrial strength solvents. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 02/01/2012

Vodka warning Following an alert issued by the Food Standards Agency, Bucks County Councils Trading Standards team is warning the public to be on the alert for bottles of illicit Drop Vodka that could be potentially damaging to health. Bottles of 70cDrop Vodka have been discovered on sale across England and Wales. LEIGHTON BUZZARD OBSERVER 03/01/2012 UK

Counterfeit alcohol kept out of pubs Local licensees have been vigilant and continued to ensure customers safety. The off licence visits were carried out by Staffordshire’s trading standards team after suspected counterfeit alcohol was found in one in five independent off licenses. Visits to 17 licensed premises were made in Staffordshire over a two-week period. UTTOXETER ECHO 04/01/2012 UK; CHEADLE & TEAN TIMES 04/01/2012 UK; BLYTHE & FORSBROOK TIMES 04/01/2012 UK; BURTON & SOUTH DERBYSHIRE ADVERTISER 04/01/2012 UK

Bogus booze bottles bust Complaints from drinkers have helped trading standards officers uncover dozens of bottles of fake and potentially harmful vodka. Eight different brands or illicit vodka have been seized from small convenience stores in Bournemouth in the run-up to Christmas. Trading standards officers acted after a wave of complaints from people who had either been made ill by the counterfeit alcohol or were concerned that it smelt funny. BOURNEMOUTH ADVERTISER 05/01/2012 UK

Microsoft sues comet over sale of windows backup discs Microsoft is to sue UK electronics retailer Comet for making tens of thousands of allegedly unauthorised CDs for its Windows operating system and selling them to customers. The US computing giant has issued proceedings against Comet for allegedly creating more than 94,000 counterfeit "recovery discs" for its Windows Vista and Windows XP operating systems and selling them to customers. GUARDIAN, THE 05/01/2012 UK

The great olive oil scandal Last month, the Olive Oil Times reported that two Spanish businessmen had been sentenced to two years in prison in Cordoba for selling hundreds of thousands of litres of supposedly extra virgin olive oil that was, in fact, a mixture of 70-80% sunflower oil and 20-30% olive. GUARDIAN, THE 05/01/2012 UK

Team sets the pace to catch Olympics touts A specialist intelligence squad to tackle counterfeit goods vendors and ticket touts during the countdown to the Olympic Games has been launched. The Midlands-wide team is made up of trading standards officers across the region. It will hunt down anyone selling unauthorised merchandise or fake tickets especially when the torch reaches the region on May 30 and June 30. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 05/01/2012 UK

Sole-less traders’ eBay con A Ministry of Justice official spent Christmas at her Majesty’s pleasure after masterminding a £230,000 eBay scam. Civil servant Antoine Simhani, 46, worked with his partner Fan Fanny Cheung, 43, to sell the fake Lelli Kelly and Disney cars shoes on the trading website. When police swooped on their home in Hook Rise South, Tolworth, in January 2010 they found 10,000 pairs of shoes with fake labels. SURREY COMET 05/01/2012 UK

Counterfeiter jailed for selling games A Brynmawr man was sent to prison yesterday for selling and importing counterfeit goods. Richard Howell, 36, of Lakeside Way, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court after pleading guilty to nine offences. He sold R4 card devices which can be used on Nintendo game consoles. Howell admitted providing a service between January 2007 and November 2009 of chipping Nintendo game consoles for them to be used to play counterfeit games. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 05/01/2012 UK

£50K for fake booze project Work to stamp out the sale of counterfeit alcohol has won financial support. The Food Standards Agency has awarded Staffordshire County Council £50,474. The cash will be used to pay for the analysis of 1,800 bottles of vodka seized from 73 premises across Staffordshire. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 06/01/2012 UK; LEEK POST & TIMES 11/01/2012 UK; TAMWORTH HERALD 12/01/2012 UK; STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) 12/01/2012 UK; BURTON MAIL 06/01/2012 UK; BIRMINGHAM MAIL 18/01/2012 UK

Fake vodka offenders face prison Five men who masterminded a major counterfeit vodka manufacturing and bottling plant in Leicestershire have been sentenced to a total of 17 years and 10 months. A sixth man was due to be sentenced as Pub & Bar went to press. The plot was uncovered by HM Revenue & Customs when it carried out raids in September 2009 at the remote industrial unit at Moscow Farm near Great Dalby in Leicestershire, seizing 9,000 bottles of fake vodka, branded as Glens. PUB & BAR 09/01/2012 UK

Police blast ‘Knock-off culture’ A SENIOR detective attacked Britain’s ‘Only Fools and Horses’ culture today as a gang faced jail for a fake goods empire worth tens of millions of pounds. Detective Superintendent Dave Clark warned the public to shun market ‘knock-offs’ after four men were found guilty of attempting to flood the country with counterfeit products through Coventry Airport. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 10/01/2012 UK

£350 fine for fake vodka WEST HULL: A shopkeeper has been fined £350 for selling fake vodka. Hull city council trading Standards officers visited the shop in July and found four bottles of fake Smirnoff vodka. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 11/01/2012 UK

Jail sentence for chemist of fake vodka A chemist at the centre of scam which lead to fake vodka being sold in Salford has been given two years in jail. Wojciech Jan Herbst now faces extradition from Poland after being sentenced in his absence. Hundreds of bottles of the toxic booze were recovered in Salford during a nationwide investigation. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 11/01/2012 UK; SALFORD ADVERTISER (INC. SALFORD CITY REPORTER) 12/01/2012 UK

Smugglers found with record haul A SMUGGLER from Harrow who was caught with one of the UK’s biggest haul of fake designer goods was found guilty on Monday. The gang imported around 50,000 items including clothing, footwear, handbags and hair straighteners from the Far East, between March 2007 and August 2010. The fakes purported to be manufactured by Gucci, Versace, Ralph Lauren, Ugg and Nike. HARROW TIMES 12/01/2012 UK

Region warned to avoid fake goods for the sake of economy... RESIDENTS are being warned that purchasing fake goods harms their health and is detrimental to the UK economy. Sharon Bowles MEP, who represents Oxfordshire in the European Parliament, has expressed concerns that fake goods, including medicines, are not only putting consumer’s health at risk but also harming the UK economy. BANBURY GUARDIAN 12/01/2012 UK

Guilty of role in £5m fake goods gang A Finsbury Park man has been convicted of being part of a global ring that brought £5m worth of designer clothes into the country - one of the largest hauls in UK history. Sid Dehimi, 24, of Seven Sisters Road, was found guilty of three counts of conspiracy to contravene the Trade Marks, Act and three counts of possession of criminal property at Southwark Crown Court on Monday. ISLINGTON GAZETTE 12/01/2012

Fake England shirts sold online AN INLINE trader who sold hundreds of fake England shirts has been handed a suspended prison sentence. Paul Jones, aged 40, of Handley Road, New Whittington, Derbyshire, was given an eight month term, suspended for two years, after admitting four charges under the Trade Marks Act 1994. DONCASTER STAR 13/01/2012 UK

Fake goods gang face prison term A GLOBAL smuggling ring, used a Boreham wood storage unit to stash one of the biggest hauls of fake designer goods, has been found guilty this morning. The gang imported about 50,000 items, including clothing, footwear, handbags, and hair straighteners into Britain from the Far East, between Mach 2007 and August 2010. BOREHAMWOOD & ELSTREE TIMES 13/01/2012 UK

Raid on unit finds fake booze Customs officers have raided an industrial unit in the Midlands believed to be involved in the marketing of fake alcohol. Two men from Worcestershire were arrested in dawn raids at the unit on suspicion of supplying industrial alcohol and equipment used to produce counterfeit spirits. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 13/01/2012 UK

Shop loses alcohol licence A shop that got a three-month alcohol ban after selling counterfeit Smirnoff vodka that made a customer sick has now been stripped of its licence for selling booze to children and other offences. Councillors issued a warning to other wayward shops as they revoked the licence for Pound Xtra in St Marys Road, Southampton, after premises supervisor Aklilu Alem, 26, was caught selling alcohol to an under-aged girl during a sting operation. SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 13/01/2012 UK

Petrol station sold counterfeit cigarettes A PETROL station owner has been prosecuted for supplying counterfeit cigarettes, after an investigation by trading standards officers. The Caerphilly County Borough Council investigation began after a consumer bought a pack and noticed the cigarettes did not taste right and one burned his lip. Trading Standards visited the premises immediately and found 120 packs were of the cigarettes. SOUTH WALES ECHO 14/01/2012

Second fake vodka plant is found in Alcester AROUND 7,000 litres of counterfeit vodka has been seized from an industrial unit in Alcester. Two men from Worcestershire were arrested in dawn raids on Friday on suspicion of supplying denatured alcohol (meths) and equipment used to produce illegal spirits. HM Revenue and Customs believe the seizure is a dent in the illicit trade controlled by criminal gangs. STRATFORD UPON AVON MIDWEEK 17/01/2012 UK

Shoppers urged to look out for tell-tale signs of fake booze A massive crackdown on the sale of illegal alcohol in Newham continues as the council pledges to bring to book traders who play hard and fast with the law. Council enforcement officers raided hundreds of off licences, shops and supermarkets last year. STRATFORD & NEWHAM EXPRESS 18/01/2012 UK

Man sold forged games A MAN has been sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work after selling counterfeit Nintendo games. Scott Cooke of Oakville Avenue, Rhyl has pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing in Mold Crown Court to several offences contrary to the Fraud Act 2016, the Trade Marks Act 1994 and the copyright Design and Patents Act 1988. RHYL, PRESTATYN & ABERGELE JOURNAL 18/01/2012 UK

‘Scammers use young’ Police in Bradford have revealed criminals are using children to front the sale of counterfeit goods in a bid to avoid prosecution. The use of young teenagers to evade detection in such cases is a problem affecting the whole of the country, according to officers. BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS (SERIES) 18/01/2012 UK

Shop raids search for illegal imports ALMOST 10,000 cigarettes and more than 50 bottles of alcohol were seized during a swoop on shops in Hertford road last Wednesday. All the items are suspected of being either fake or the proper import duty had not been paid. They could be destroyed and shop owners face prosecution and having their premises licence reviewed, and potentially revoked. ENFIELD GAZETTE 18/01/2012 UK

Stallholder fined for sale of dangerous toys The owner of a gift stall was forced to pay £9,000 in fines in court for selling counterfeit lighters and unsafe toys in a harrow shopping centre. HR Construction, which traded as Simple Fashion in St Ann’s Shopping Centre, sold toys in the run-up to Christmas 2010 which broke safety regulations by having sharp edges and points, finger-trapping hazards, insufficient instructions, inadequate warnings, had excessive presence of chemicals called phthalates that have been found to be carcinogenic, and posed a chocking hazard to children. WEMBLEY & WILLESDON OBSERVER 19/01/2012 UK

Fake England shirts sold online AN ONLINE trader who sold hundreds of fake England shirts has been handed a suspended prison sentenced. Paul Jones, aged 40, of Handley Road, New Whittington, Derbyshire, was given an eight month term, suspended for two years, after admitting four charges under the Trade Marks Act 1994. DONCASTER STAR 13/01/2012 UK

Fake goods gang face prison term A GLOBAL smuggling ring, who used a Boreham wood storage unit to stash one of the biggest hauls of fake designer goods, has been found guilty this morning. The gang imported about 50,000 items, including clothing, footwear, handbags, and hair straighteners into Britain from the Far East, between Mach 2007 and August 2010. BOREHAMWOOD & ELSTREE TIMES 13/01/2012 UK; HARINGEY INDEPENDENT 13/01/2012 UK

Raid on unit finds fake booze Customs officers have raided an industrial unit in the Midlands believed to be involved in the marketing of fake alcohol. Two men from Worcestershire were arrested in dawn raids at the unit in Alcester, Warwickshire yesterday on suspicion of supplying industrial alcohol and equipment used to produce counterfeit spirits. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 13/01/2012 UK; STRATFORD UPON AVON MIDWEEK 17/01/2012 UK

Man sold forged games A MAN has been sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work after selling counterfeit Nintendo games Scott Cooke of Oakville Avenue, Rhyl had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing in Mold Crown Count to several offences contrary to the Fraud Act 2016, the Trade Marks Act 1994 and the copyright Design and Patents Act 1988. RHYL, PRESTATYN & ABERGELE JOURNAL 18/01/2012 UK

Shop raids search for illegal imports ALMOST 10,000 cigarettes and more than 50 bottles of alcohol were seized during a swoop on shops in Hertford Road last Wednesday. All the items are suspected of being either fake or the proper import duty had not been paid. They could be destroyed and shop owners face prosecution and having their premises licence reviewed, and potentially revoked. ENFIELD GAZETTE 18/01/2012 UK

This has to stop TRADERS are demanding action against criminals who sell counterfeit goods at a market in Wembley. Eight people were arrested and counterfeit DVDs were seized. Four of those pleaded guilty and were sentenced at court and four received cautions. HARROW TIMES 19/01/2012 UK

Stallholder fined for sale of danger toys The owner of a gift stall was forced to pay £9,000 in fines and court costs for selling counterfeit lighters and unsafe toys in a Harrow shopping centre. HR Construction, which traded as Simple Fashion in St Ann’s Shopping Centre, St, Ann’s Road Harrow, sold toys in the run-up to Christmas 2010 which broke safety regulations by having sharp edges and points, finger-trapping hazards, insufficient instructions, inadequate warnings, had excessive presence of chemicals that have been found to be carcinogenic, and posed a chocking hazard to children. WEMBLEY & WILLESDON OBSERVER 19/01/2012 UK

Red alert for shops selling fake alcohol Officers on covert surveillance operations are gearing up to swoop on premises in Lincolnshire suspected of selling fake booze and cigarettes, the echo can reveal. The raids will target 15 sites in a joint crackdown by Lincolnshire Police and HM Revenue and Customs. The agencies confirmed the premises are concentrate in one area of the county. LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO 19/01/2012 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Fake goods health alert Fake goods, including medicines drinks and cosmetics, are putting consumers health in danger, it has been warned. In the run-up to Christmas last year, it is believde that 165,000 bottles of vodka were distributed across the UK which contained high levels of dangerous methanol. BASINGSTOKE WEEKEND GAZETTE 19/01/2012 UK

Two in prison over counterfeit cigarettes Two men were today starting a prison sentence for their part in a scam that would have seen the West Midlands flooded with 500,000 counterfeit cigarettes. Abdullah Karim and Hiwa Ali were stopped during routine police checks on vehicles travelling along the A5 at Wall, Staffordshire. A search of the van revealed the haul of fake Superking cigarettes hidden in boxes in the back. More than £90,000 duty had been evaded on the load. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 21/01/2012 UK; LICHFIELD MERCURY 26/01/2012 UK

Police in warning on street tricksters POLICE have issued a warning about artists operating in Southend High Street. Officers have received a string of reports about dodgy street sellers in recent weeks. Victims said they were offered cheap cigarettes. But after partying with cash, they never received the goods. Officers recently arrested a man on suspicion of tricking a least six people. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 25/01/2012 UK

Warning for illegal vodka A POTENTIALLY lethal form of illegal vodka has been found on sale at a shop in Oxfordshire. Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service is again warning people to be vigilant against the counterfeit ‘Arctic Ice Vodka’ which contains dangerously high level of industrial solvent found in screen wash and nail varnish remover. BANBURY GUARDIAN 26/01/2012 UK

Raids net haul RAZOR blades, DVDs and bootleg booze and tobacco were seized when police, customs and trading standards officers raided shops and homes in Leigh and Hindley. The packs of razor blades, part of a haul of counterfeit goods seized in raids across the borough were dangerous fakes which pose a significant risk to the public. LEIGH, TYLDESLEY & ATHERTON JOURNAL 26/01/2012 UK

Prison for pair guilty of fake cigarette plot TWO men have been jailed for their role in a plot to flood the region with 500,000 counterfeits by Customs officers. The pair had been stopped in Lichfield by Police on November 25, 2009. The van were driving in was full of large cardboard boxes which they claimed contained ‘household items’, but contained cigarettes. LICHFIELD MERCURY 26/01/2012 UK

Action on fake goods vowed Market traders will continue to be monitored to ensure fake goods are not sold in Walsall, police have insisted. More than 200 illegal DVDs were seized following a raid at Walsall’s Bescot Market last weekend. One man was arrested following the crackdown on traders selling fake goods at the popular Sunday pitch. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 26/01/2012 UK

Fake vodka warning A WARNING has been issued about counterfeit vodka found on sale in an Oxfordshire shop. Arctic Ice, which is branded to look like vodka, contains dangerously high levels of isopropyl alcohol, an industrial solvent found in screen wash and nail varnish remover. It can cause symptoms including drowsiness, stomach pain, and cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea and if enough is consumed it could lead to unconsciousness and even death. HENLEY STANDARD 27/01/2012 UK; BICESTER REVIEW 27/01/2012; BICESTER REVIEW 27/01/2012 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Husband and wife jailed over fake cigarettes sales A HUSBAND and wife from Derbyshire who sold illicit cigarettes across the county have been jailed for 18 months and 12 months respectively. Officers seized nearly 400,000 cigarettes and 234 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco from a storage unit rented by Melvin and Serena Mellors. Some of the cigarettes were counterfeit and included brands such as Regal King size, Palace and Beaufort, resulting in a duty loss over £100,000 from public finances. DERBY TELEGRAPH 27/01/2012 UK

Crackdown on rogue traders ROGUE traders selling shoddy goods are being targeted as part of a council operation. The clamp down by Cheshire East Council’s consumer protection and investigation team comes after two arrests were made at a car boot sale earlier this month. Council officials are working with Cheshire Police to combat the sale of counterfeit goods. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 28/01/2012 UK

Student blinded by bogus vodka A student woke to find she was half blind after swigging a third of bottle of fake vodka. Lauren Platts, 21, still suffers blurred sight and reduced peripheral vision two months later. Now doctors and trading standards officers are warning people to beware of the bogus booze, which can contain meths, bleach, cleaning fluids and chloroform. SUN, THE 31/01/2012 UK; YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 31/01/2012 UK; GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 31/01/2012 UK; DONCASTER STAR 31/01/2012 UK

£50k fake clothing case sent to Crown Court A HUSBAND and wife have been sent to Plymouth Crown Court in connection with a £50,000 alleged fake clothes scam. Paul and Xuena Potter again faced magistrates accused of having 1,350 counterfeit garments at their home. The couple are accused of importing clothes, mostly fake football shirts, from China and selling them on auction website eBay. PLYMOUTH HERALD 31/01/2012 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: December 2011 Fake vodka is found on sale ILLEGAL vodka which has potentially-harmful ingredients has been found on sale across Kent. Trading Standards officers have found the product, named Drop Vodka, at independent retailers. Consumers are advised not to drink it as it is believed to contain harmful chemicals including methanol and isopropanol and is not registered by any company in the UK. The manufacturer is unknown. MEDWAY NEWS 01/12/2011 UK; ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 01/12/2011 UK; SURREY MIRROR SERIES 01/12/2011 UK; BANBURY GUARDIAN 01/12/2011 UK; WEST SUSSEX COUNTY TIMES (SERIES) 01/12/2011 UK; BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 03/12/2011 UK; BIRMINGHAM MAIL 03/12/2011 UK; WIDNES WEEKLY NEWS 08/12/2011 UK; REDDITCH ADVERTISER 09/12/2011 UK; COLCHESTER DAILY GAZETTE 12/12/2011 UK; BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 22/11/2011 UK; BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 26/11/2011 UK; DUNDEE COURIER & ADVERTISER (SERIES) 26/11/2011 UK; BRIGHTON ARGUS (MID SUSSEX EDITION) 28/11/2011 UK; YORK PRESS 28/11/2011 UK; DAILY RECORD (SCOTLAND) 29/11/2011 UK; WITNEY GAZETTE 30/11/2011 UK

Good sports don’t fake it. Trading standards officers in Angus are urging consumers to check, double check and check again to stay safe from fraudsters exploiting one of the Country’s favourite pastime sports. FORFAR DISPATCH 01/12/2011 UK

Beware fake online goods ONLINE shoppers in the county are being warned to be careful in the run-up to Christmas. Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards service has seen a 2% rise in complaints compared to last year. It has received 60 complaints about counterfeit products since April, half of which were online. Last Christmas the majority of complaints were about counterfeit UGG boots and GHD hair straighteners. BICESTER ADVERTISER 01/12/2011 UK

BABY BLING PERIL Fake diamante beads on babies’ bottles and dummies could fall off and choke youngsters, say Suffolk safety watchdogs. SUN, THE 02/12/2011 UK

Pair had 500,000 fake cigarettes, court told A man from Wolverhampton was arrested when police stopped a van found to contain almost 500,000 counterfeit cigarettes in the back, a court heard. Police officers seized a book from the van which contained a number of addresses linking to previous seizures of illicit cigarettes. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 02/12/2011 UK; EXPRESS & STAR - DUDLEY ( LATE FINAL) 02/12/2011 UK

Fake goods to be crushed and recycled Norfolk County Council Trading Standards service is ensuring that counterfeit goods, intended solely to make illegal profit for those behind their production, are to go to a good home this Christmas. His church has the ability to collect and securely store, vast amounts of counterfeit material, and offer undertaking to de-badge branded goods. EASTERN DAILY PRESS 03/12/2011 UK

Unpaid work for fake goods trader A MARKET stallholder has been given a 12 month supervision order and a community order of 140 hours of unpaid work for selling counterfeit goods in Portland Market. Magistrates learned that Trading Standards officers had been carrying out a routine check at Portland Market, on July 26 when they spotted Smale’s stall with a ghd hair straightener sign on it. DORSET ECHO 03/12/2011 UK

Beware danger of festive fakes CHRISTMAS shopping bargain hunters are being warned to watch out for dangerous festive fakes. West Sussex County Council’s Trading Standards is also reminding consumers of their rights when shopping online or over the phone. The advice is to buy from reputable sources. BRIGHTON ARGUS 06/12/2011 UK

Blitz reveals illegal booze at off-licence ILLEGAL booze was found being sold behind the counter at off-licences in Nuneaton and Bedworth during a blitz. Warwickshire CC Trading Standards Service co-ordinated the sting against the sale of fake drink and visited a number of stores in the borough and the rest of the county. In what was a pre-Christmas Strike, officers visited 34 sites in the county and it was found that five in the Nuneaton and Bedworth area were selling counterfeit drink. NUNEATON NEWS 06/12/2011 UK

175 BOTTLES OF FAKE BOOZE SEIZED FROM OFF-LICENCES TRADING standards officers seized thousands of pounds worth of bogus booze as part of a crackdown on counterfeit goods in Warwickshire. They seized 175 bottles of spirits from seven off-licences including Danoff vodka, High Commissioner Scotch whisky and Checkov and glens vodka. Shop owners were selling the booze worth £2,000 at the full market price to try and avoid getting caught. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 06/12/2011 UK

Shoppers warned over fake presents CHRISTMAS shoppers looking for a bargain should be wary of counterfeit goods which flood the market in the run-up to the festive season. Fake UGG Boots, GHD hair straighteners, iPhones and iPads are among the tens of the counterfeit items that have been seized by officers as they have been brought into the country in recent months. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST 07/12/2011 UK; EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 07/12/2011 UK; EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 07/12/2011 UK; YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 07/12/2011 UK

Warning over risks of a counterfeit Christmas WITH CHRISTMAS approaching consumers are being urged not to support international organised crime by purchasing counterfeit goods. The search for bargains is ever more frantic as many households struggle to tighten their belts in a tough financial climate. DUNDEE COURIER & ADVERTISER (SERIES) 07/12/2011

WARNING ON FAKE GOODS MORE than 13,000 fake goods worth £14.5million have been seized at a postal hub in Coventry so far this year. Among the counterfeit items found at the Coventry Airport, were fake Ugg boots, GHD hair straighteners, Nike clothing, designer sunglasses and counterfeit golf clubs. Officials from UK Border Agency, based at the hub, are now urging festive shoppers to be careful about what they buy and where the buy it from. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 07/12/2011 UK

Warning over unsafe vodka ANY Plymouth businesses that have been sold Drop Vodka are being warned not to sell it o the public as it is not safe to drink. There have been no reports of Drop Vodka in Plymouth, so far, but trading standards and customs officers found 92 bottles of counterfeit vodka and nearly 2,000 bottles of contraband wine during a raid in Plymouth early this year. The Food Standard Agency has issued a warning nationally about Drop Vodka after bottles of the illicit drink were found for sale in Scunthorpe, Norwich, Wakefield and Leeds. PLYMOUTH HERALD 07/12/2011 UK

Warning over Christmas Christmas shoppers looking for bargains should be wary of counterfeit goods which flood the market in the run up to the festive season, the UK Border Agency warned today. EDINBURGH EVE. NEWS 07/12/2011

‘Beware of fakes’ in hunt for bargains Christmas shoppers looking for a bargain should be wary of counterfeit goods which flood the market in the run-up to the festive season, the UK Border Agency warned. Fake UGG Boots, GHD hair straighteners, iPhones and iPads are among the tens of thousands of counterfeit items that have been seized by officers as they have been brought into the country in recent months. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 07/12/2011 UK

Fined for selling fake vodka AN OFF-licence worker has been fined for supplying counterfeit vodka. Labels said the alcohol content was 37.5% proof contrary to the Food Safety Act 1990. Bracknell Magistrates heard that Ajit Singh Kapoo sold the counterfeit vodka at Booze Bargain in London Road, Twyford, as popular brand Smirnoff. READING CHRONICLE 08/12/2011 UK

FATAL FAKES BEWARE of cheap, counterfeit consoles and other electrical goods flooding from the Far East- they could kill. Consumer group Which? issued the warning after investigating fake items on the market. They found dodgy wiring on bogus Nintendo Wii’s could electrocute a child. While fake iPhones, laptops and Nintendo DSi handhelds were at risk of overheating. DAILY MIRROR 08/12/2011 UK

Counterfeit Uggs worth £9m seized at docks IT was a haul worth £9m and thought to be one of the largest seizures of its kind. Fake Ugg boots destined to flood the Christmas market were stopped from getting any further than the containers they were packed in after they were discovered by officers at Southampton docks. SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 08/12/2011 UK

Don’t fall for the Christmas fakes SHOPPERS in Huddersfield are being warned not to buy counterfeit Christmas gifts. Trading Standards officers and the UK Border Agency have issued warnings about the materials and safety of some counterfeit items being illegally sold. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 08/12/2011 UK

Fakes warning ON-LINE shoppers are being warned to be careful of cheap and counterfeit goods this Christmas. Consumer champion Which? has found nearly one in 10 people have bought a fake product by mistake in the last two years. Nearly a quarter of the items were from websites including Amazon and eBay. Which? worked with Trading Standards and unearthed knock-off electronics including fake iPhones and Nintendo DSi games consoles. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 08/12/2011 UK

Move to stub out illegal cigs NHS Yorkshire and Trading standards have joined forces to combat the trade in illegal cigarettes and tobacco. It is estimated that 47% of hand rolled tobacco and eight per cent of cigarettes are illicit, making smoking more affordable and consequently more attractive to children and young people. DEWSBURY REPORTER 09/12/2011 UK

Festive cheatings: £1m haul of fake goods seized. A HAUL of fake goods worth £31m has been seized by trading standards officers in a swoop on a Manchester wholesale business. The bogus load was enough to fill two 20 tonne articulated lorries all destined to be sold by black market traders over Christmas. The haul, from the Strangeways area of the city, included fake Ugg boots, Barbour jackets, G-star jeans and ghd hair straighteners. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 09/12/2011 UK

Join us in crackdown in smuggling, urge customs CUSTOMS officers are urging people in Medway to help them combat tobacco smuggling. People in the Town are being warned to be on the look out for traders selling cheap counterfeit cigarettes and alcohol. It follows a crackdown on smuggling in Medway by HM revenue & Customs (HMRC) in partnership with the police and Trading Standards. KENT MESSENGER (SITTINGBOURNE EDITION) 09/12/2011 UK

Don’t fall foul of fake goods SHOPPERS are being warned to avoid purchasing counterfeit goods this Christmas. Unofficial Uggs, knock off Nikes and plastic Pandora bracelets are just some of the fake items seized by Doncaster Council over the last year. DONCASTER ADVERTISER 09/12/2011 UK

Toying with child safety DANGEROUS toys that could choke, cause allergies or give a child an electric shock are on sale this Christmas. Trading Standards officials have warned of the fakes as some disreputable sellers are ignoring an EU toy safety law enacted in July. More than 9,000 unsafe toys were found on Lorries in Dover, Kent, while badly made dolls were seized in Felixtowe. Suffolk. DAILY MIRROR 12/12/2011 UK

Festive warning as fakes worth 200k seized at airport Fake goods worth around £200,000 have been seized at Stansted Airport in the lead up to Christmas. Festive shoppers are being warned to be careful about what they buy at Christmas by UK Border Agency officers following the seizures in recent months. Nearly 1,800 pairs of fake Ugg boots have been detected at Stansted Airport - worth about £170,000 - since September, and in November, more than 200 pairs of bogus Dr Dre headphones, with a total value of £30,000, were seized. Other forgeries found by agency staff included GHD hair straighteners, iPhones and designer clothing. CAMBRIDGE NEWS 12/12/2011 UK

Warning on fake Christmas presents Detectives in Airedale and North Bradford are warning people to ensure they are not exchanging their cash for fake goods this Christmas. They say counterfeit hair straightness, designer clothes, watches, toys and CDs are among the items which commonly go on sale in the area either through markets or websites. Officers are currently working with partners in trading standards to investigate offences and are advising that many fake products will not comply with UK health and safety regulations while some, such as counterfeit electrical items, could be dangerous. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 12/12/2011 UK

Trade sold fake football shirts An on-line trader has admitted selling hundreds of fake England football shirts on the internet after an investigation by trading standards officers. Paul Jones, aged 40, of Handley Road, New Whittington, pleaded guilty to four charges of trademarks offences. Officers found that Jones had used eBay and Paypal accounts belonging to a friend and his partner to sell 461 counterfeit England shirts before the World Cup in 2010. DONCASTER STAR 12/12/2011 UK

Fined £4,000 for copyright breach A STRATFORD man who sold ‘chipped’ games consoles, allowing counterfeit games to be played on them, was last week sentenced to 12 months of community service and fined £4,000. Mark Burkey aged 42, from Justin’s Avenue, ran a website offering ‘chipped’ consoles and illegal games for five year, causing an estimated financial harm to the gaming industry of hundreds of thousands of pounds. STRATFORD UPON AVON MIDWEEK 13/12/2011 UK

Man hoarded fake cigarettes A takeaway worker has been fined after he admitted stashing fake cigarettes in the shop where he worked. Bahram Karimi, 22, of Alma Place, Bradford Moor, worked at Euro Fried Chicken in Killinghall, Road where Trading Standards officers found a hoard of counterfeit cigarettes and packets which did not include warning labels. He pleaded guilty at Bradford Magistrates Court yesterday to eight offences after the cigarettes were found during an inspection at the takeaway on May 3 this year. BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS (SERIES) 13/12/2011 UK

Public warned Drop Vodka may cause serious illness and asked to Warnings are being issued to the public about the sale of illegal vodka that could damage their health. Oxfordshire County Councils Trading Standards Service is warning people not to drink Drop Vodka, an illegal brand of the spirit, which has been found on sale in shops across the country. Drop Vodka is not registered by any company in the UK and could be harmful as it is unknown what the drink contains. OXFORDSHIRE GUARDIAN (WITNEY & WEST OXON EDITION) 14/12/2011 UK

Vodka sentence A 32-year-old man from St Helens has admitted possessing counterfeit vodka. A fine of 200 was imposed with £1000 cost awarded. Mr Bradley’s personal alcohol licence was also suspended for a week. ST HELENS REPORTER 14/12/2011 UK

Revellers warned over fake vodka Fake vodka has been seized from off-licence shelves across Essex. Essex CC TS are warning shoppers who are preparing to stock up on alcohol for the festive season to be extra-careful when choosing their brand. Fake bottles of Glens Vodka have been detected in the Essex circulation. Essex consumers are being warned to only buy from shops they know and trust. Businesses have been told to purchase only from reputable wholesalers and stockist and avoid man in a van discounts. BRAINTREE & WITHAM TIMES 14/12/2011 UK

Bargain hunters PEOPLE are being advised to steer clear of counterfeit goods as Christmas beckons. Police and trading standards chiefs say bargains bought at events such as car boot sales are often fake. They are keen to stamp out the illegal trade and urge shoppers not to be fooled as the season of goodwill comes ever closer. Police investigations have shown that the proceeds from the sale of counterfeit goods are often linked to serious organised crime and in some cases go towards funding internationals terrorism. NUNEATON NEWS 15/12/2011 UK

Warning over fake presents CUSTOMS officers at Stansted Airport have issued a seasonal warning to shoppers about counterfeit goods. Border Agency staff at the Essex hub have seized fakes worth hundreds of thousands of pounds in recent months. BISHOP’S STORTFORD & SAWBRIDGEWORTH OBSERVER 15/12/2011 UK

Drinker’s fears over fake booze HUNGOVER drinkers are blaming counterfeit vodka for their headaches. Following reports in the Argus of some bottles of spirits containing illegal levels of industrial alcohol, several revellers have called trading standards suggesting the vodka they have drunk has been fake. BRIGHTON ARGUS 15/12/2011 UK

Warning over illegal vodka AN ILLEGAL and potentially harmful brand of vodka that could possibly damage people’s sight has infiltrated the market and has been found in shops in East Barnet and Mill Hill. The Borough is one of the numbers of areas in the country where the fake vodka has been discovered on sale and the Food Standards Agency is now warning consumers not to drink the illegal sprit called Drop Vodka. BARNET & WHETSTONE PRESS 15/12/2011 UK

Warning over fake goods going on sale Keighley shoppers seeking a bargain this Christmas are being urged to be wary of counterfeit goods. West Yorkshire TS Service warns that some cut-price items being advertised online as genuine, high quality trademarked products may not live up to expectations. It said even excellent copies were usually made from inferior materials and could be unsafe. KEIGHLEY NEWS 15/12/2011 UK

Toxic vodka seller fined Surrey: A shopkeeper who sold vodka that could have caused blindness has been fined £16,000. Fourteen bottles of the toxic substance were found at a store in Ashford last year. The liquid was found to contain 235 times the legal level of methanol, which could cause drinkers to go blind, according to Trading Standards officers. LEATHERHEAD ADVERTISER 15/12/2011 UK

Off-licence faces rap for sale of fake wine An off-licence is having its licence called in for review by the Royal Borough in the New Year - for the second time. The future of Drinks Superstore, King Street, also known as Kings Stores, is due to be discussed by the councils licensing committee on Thursday, January 5 after 57 bottles of fake Jacobs Creek wine were found on its shelves in April. Licence holder Gurchuran Singh Sidhu had already appeared before the panel last year after police complained he had served underage and intoxicated people. MAIDENHEAD ADVERTISER 15/12/2011 UK

Crackdown on sellers of fake goods Fake clothing, DVDs and jewellery are flooding the Black Country and Staffordshire in the run-up to Christmas. Trading standards officers are stepping up surveillance of pubs and car boot sales to crack down on sellers looking to cash-in on Christmas sales. And officers are also tracking internet auction sites after it emerged sellers have been turning to the web to flog their goods. It can now be revealed that illegal traders have been linked to serious and organised crime. And investigators have issued a stark warning to bargain hunters about the potential deadly dangers of buying fake goods for their loved ones. SANDWELL & GREAT BARR CHRONICLE 15/12/2011 UK; WOLVERHAMPTON CHRONICLE 15/12/2011 UK

Car check revealed haul of fake tobacco Two men from Wolverhampton and Walsall are facing jail after an out-of-date driving licence foiled their bid to smuggle 500,000 cigarettes. The pair were stopped during routine police checks on vehicles travelling along the A5 at Wall, Staffordshire. Driver Hiwa Ali, aged 27 did not have a valid driving licence and was therefore not insured to take the wheel. He was arrested and a search of the van revealed the haul of fake Superking cigarettes hidden in boxes in the back. More than £90,000 duty had been evaded on the load. WOLVERHAMPTON CHRONICLE 15/12/2011 UK

Counterfeiters made to feel the squeeze at Christmas... FRAUDSTERS selling counterfeit clothes were given an unwanted 'early Christmas present' when their van was crushed by trading standards officials. The white 'Y-registered Ford Transit van was found loaded with counterfeit clothing with an estimated value of up to £45,000 at Donington Market, Castle Donington, on September 25. On the same day, officers seized fake Rolex watches and trainers with an estimated retail value of £225,000 from two separate stalls. The traders were arrested and are currently being investigated. Yesterday, the van was reduced to scrap as a warning to illegal traders looking to cash in at Christmas. David Bull, head of Leicestershire County Council's trading standards, said: "This sends a strong message to the counterfeiters that all the powers available to trading standards and the police will be used to stamp out this illegal trade. BURTON MAIL 15/12/2011 UK; DERBY TELEGRAPH 19/12/2011 UK

Drinkers warned of fake vodka Fake vodka has been seized from off-licence shelves across Essex. Essex County Councils trading standards department is warning shoppers getting ready to stock up on alcohol for the festive season to be careful when choosing their brand. Fake bottles of Glens Vodka have been detected in Essex. Consumers are being warned to buy only from shops they know and trust. Businesses have been told to buy only from reputable wholesalers and stockist and avoid man in a van discounts. CLACTON GAZETTE 15/12/2011 UK

Illegal alcohol seized at off-licences SEVERAL bottles of vodka unfit for human consumption were among illegal alcohol seized from a number of off-licences in the Bury area. Trading Standards, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and Greater Manchester Police took part in the joint operation following reports that the off-licences targeted were selling counterfeit alcohol. HMRC seized 756 litres of wine, 868 litres of beer and more than 175 litres of spirits, equating to nearly £4,300 in evaded duty and VAT. Tests showed some bottles of vodka, unfit for human consumption, had 91.4g of methanol in every 100 litres, more than nine times the legal limit. BURY TIMES 15/12/2011 UK

Danger toys seized CUSTOMS chiefs at Heathrow have seized dangerous toys among millions of pounds of counterfeit goods. Officials have discovered a number of fake items including Hello Kitty jewellery boxes and the latest Nintendo DS. More than 9,000 dangerous toys have been found at Dover. EVENING STANDARD 16/12/2011 UK

More than £1,000 of counterfeit booze and tobacco seized in city TRADING standards officers seized more than £1,000 of counterfeit cigarettes and alcohol in a crackdown on the illicit trade. Seven shops out of 22 visited on a day of action in Derby were found to have fake goods. The coordinated crackdown followed the recent destruction of more than 110,000 cigarettes and 100kg of tobacco which had been seized by Derby City Councils trading standards team in recent years. Analysis showed that some samples contained seven times the permitted levels of cadmium, which is known to damage the kidneys, and six times the permitted levels of lead, which damages the nervous and reproductive systems. Fake vodka is also an emerging problem in the city. In August, the council discovered illicit Drop vodka, which was found to contain cleaning fluid isopropyl alcohol, on sale in the city. DERBY TELEGRAPH 16/12/2011 UK

Crackdown on fake brands DESIGNER watches and big-name brand items have been seized as part of a crackdown on counterfeit goods in Worcestershire. Worcestershire Regulatory Services, formerly trading standards, environmental health and licensing have joined forces to carry out raids at home and businesses premises as part of a Christmas ant counterfeiting campaign. BIRMINGHAM MAIL 17/12/2011 UK

Fake wine suppliers keeps licence A DRINKS supplier who sold fake wine to shops has kept his alcohol licence. Salvatore Capuano provided Counterfeit Jacob’s Creek wine to shops in Brighton and Hove which later lost their licences as a result. Magistrates turned down an application by Brighton and Hove City Council to have his licence removed. BRIGHTON ARGUS 17/12/2011 UK

Warning over fake big names More than £100,000 worth of counterfeit goods have been seized in a trading standards operation in Halesowen. The items, which were recovered from a property in the town, included a number of big name brands including Ugg boots, Pauls Boutique, Hunter, Superdry, Berghaus, Pandora bracelets and Juicy Couture. It has prompted trading standards officers to warn shoppers to be careful in the run up to the festive season. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 17/12/2011 UK

Killer toys Killer toys have been seized from Blackpool shops as part of a pre-Christmas purge. Deadly dolls, with buttons hanging off, hair falling out and heads that could have broken off, were removed from the shelves by Trading Standards officers. They swooped on shops and street traders across the town confiscating fake and untested goods, such as Thomas the Tank Engines and Disney goods, including Mickey Mouse copies. The haul, which also included racing cars and toy irons, are now being looked at by safety experts for small parts which could choke youngsters, high toxic paint content and dangerous electrics. Steven Ash, a Blackpool Council public safety officer, said the goods did not feature the vital CE stamp, which is used to certify toys have been properly safety tested. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 17/12/2011 UK

Shop under review TWO shops risk losing their licences this week. Tipple, previously known as Red White and Rose in Queen’s Road, Brighton, is having its alcohol licence reviewed by Brighton and Hove City Council today. The reviews were prompted by reports from trading standards officers about the sale of fake Jacob’s Creek wine at Tipple and fake vodka at Rolyns. BRIGHTON ARGUS 19/12/2011 UK

Convenience store fined after selling fake vodka A CITY centre convenience store has been fined for selling cut-price counterfeit vodka. Trading Standards Officers first became suspicious when they noticed 70cl bottles of vodka sold a just £8.49 at The Premier Store on West Street, Sheffield. SHEFFIELD STAR (SERIES) 19/12/2011 UK

Fakes get cheaper Counterfeit goods are becoming cheaper and more easily available, according to a study by KPMG. The accountancy firm found that fake goods were 80% cheaper than genuine items in nearly half of the 20 cities that it surveyed across the world. Birmingham has knocked London of its perch as the most expensive place in which to buy counterfeit goods included in the annual survey. TIMES, THE 19/12/2011 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Fake vodka has traces of chloroform ILLEGAL vodka confiscated in York contained chloroform, council officials have confirmed. As reported in The Press previously, six bottles of counterfeit vodka were sent for tests last month after being seized from a city shop. Sean Suckling, head of the food and safety unit at City of York Council, said: "We confiscated six bottles of counterfeit vodka from a premises in York last month following a complaint from a member of the public. Tests have shown that the vodka was contaminated with chloroform”. YORK PRESS 19/12/2011 UK

Trader ordered to pay £60k or face jail A TRADER who sold counterfeit clothes from his stall at Wellesbourne Market will have to sell a house he owns to pay a £60,000 confiscation order or face 20 months in jail. STRATFORD-U-AVON MIDWEEK 20/12/2011 UK

Warning issue over sales of fake alcohol DRINKERS are risking their health and wasting their money on fake wine and spirits in Bournemouth, according to trading standards officers. They have seized a least 70 cases of counterfeit wine and several bottles of so called Drop Vodka, which is harmful to health, smells like nail varnish remover and contains lethal chemicals including methanol and isopropanol. BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 20/12/2011 UK

Fake fags danger Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson has praised the work being done to convict people selling illegal tobacco. He said: It was recently estimated that in East Lancashire we have some of the highest rates of fake cigarettes being sold. LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH 20/12/2011 UK

£24m counterfeits seized at airport A leather handbag with a clutch that doubles up as a deadly knuckleduster, fake Ugg boots, iPhones, Rolex watches and DR Dre headphones were among a haul of counterfeit goods ordered by Midland shoppers over the internet. UK Border agency officers seized 20,000 parcels containing 500,000 illicit items worth £24 million at Coventry Airport this year. The agency has warned that unsuspecting customers are not only left out of pocket, but could be putting their own safety at risk by exposing themselves to dangerous and unregulated products. BIRMINGHAM MAIL 20/12/2011 UK; BIRMINGHAM MAIL 21/12/2011 UK

Warning over fake presents Cost-conscious people in South Tyneside risk falling victim to rogue traders selling counterfeit goods, according to new figures. A survey by YouGov found that nearly 17% of people in the area had knowingly bought fake goods as they struggle to make ends meet, and a further 10% said that they had been tempted to buy counterfeits. 20% would consider buying counterfeits because they are cheaper, and 16% say they do it because they have less money to spend. SOUTH SHIELDS GAZETTE 20/12/2011 UK; WESTERN MORNING NEWS (SERIES) 22/12/2011 UK

Fake goods seized at weekly market A total of 2,000 counterfeit goods with a street value of £20,000 were seized during a police raid at Walsall's Bescot Market. Five people were arrested during the raid. Fake DVDs, Ugg boots and handbags were among the items seized. The pre-planned raid was part of Operation Verve, which aims to tackle criminality in the run-up to Christmas. Four men aged 17, 19, 40 and 45 and a 21-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of selling goods bearing a false trademark. They have all been bailed pending further inquiries. Police, trading standards officers and workers from the Federation Against Copyright Theft were all involved in the crackdown. Sgt Paul Talbot, of Walsall police station, said: "We are extremely pleased with the results this weekend. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 20/12/2011 UK

Watch out and enjoy the real deal at Christmas Customs chiefs have warned people to be on the lookout for dodgy Christmas bargains. And the message to shoppers is: If a bargain seems too good to be true, it probably is. Fake smart phones, tablet computers, Hello Kitty products, GHD hair straigthteners and designer clothes are among the tens of thousands of counterfeit items seized by officers from HM Revenue and Customs in recent months. Now HMRC bosses have warned that counterfeit goods are illegal to import, even if they are bought online. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 20/12/2011 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Don’t get into the counterfeit Christmas spirit EATING, drinking and being merry is what Christmas is all about but in a stark warning from Trading Standards, people are being warned of the dangers of illicit or counterfeit alcohol. Consumers are being reminded to be aware of illicit or counterfeit alcohol products, namely spirits and wine that are more widely available at this time of the year. UTTOXETER ECHO 21/12/2011 UK

Fakes seized Officers seized a haul of designer clothes and jewellery suspected to be fake. Police from the upper Valley neighbourhood policing team found the goods on sale on Todmorden. A 31-year-old-man and a 28-year-old woman have been arrested. Evening Courier, Halifax 21/12/2011 UK

Warning over fake goods COST-conscious shoppers in West Yorkshire have been warned they could be buying counterfeit goods. The public in Yorkshire need to wake up to the threat of counterfeit goods and realise that when they purchase such goods online they are dealing with a faceless person in another part of the world. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 21/12/2011 UK

Guitars probe Police officers working with Yorkshire Trading Standards issued two warrants to search properties in Norton and Malton following information that counterfeit guitars were being distributed from the area. RYEDALE GAZETTE & HERALD 21/12/2011 UK

Trader had fake goods on his stall A Wolverhampton market trader who sold fake Ugg boots, Henleys hoodies and Lacoste tracksuits has been given a community order and told to pay costs of £1,818. Max Davis knew he was selling dodgy goods from his stall at Bilston Outdoor Market, Wolverhampton magistrates heard yesterday. Davis, aged 24, of St Johns Wood, Rednall, Birmingham, admitted 18 counts of possessing goods with a false trademark for sale. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 21/12/2011 UK

Watch out for fake goods AVOID buying fake goods as cheap presents this Christmas. That's the warning from Hampshire County Council's Trading Standards, who say that counterfeit perfumes, booze and electrical goods could be dangerous. Every year, officers seize more than 10,000 items of fake goods at car boot sales and markets, including clothing, handbags, watches, DVDs and cigarettes. They warn that fake vodka or whisky could contain high levels of methanol, which can cause blindness, fake perfume could irritate or burn the skin, and that fake electrical items could overheat, explode or burnout quickly. BASINGSTOKE EXTRA 21/12/2011

Soccer shirt faker jailed A man who made £386,000 peddling counterfeit sports memorabilia on EBay has been jailed for 12 months. Christian Cassidy, who at the time lived in Llys Madoc, Towyn was not only selling bogus soccer shirts but so too was his claim that they were signed by the stars because he was signing them himself. RHYL, PRESTATYN & ABERGELE JOURNAL 21/12/2011 UK; DAILY POST, THE 21/12/2011 UK

Fake fags shock Tens of thousands of people in East Lancashire are smoking illegal cigarettes, according to an investigation. The probe, on behalf of a legitimate cigarette firm, also revealed that in half of the areas shopkeepers knew of rogue tobacco traders. A former top cop at Scotland Yard, who investigated the situation in Blackburn, said that counterfeit cigarettes were freely available. And he said the easy sales of fake tobacco taking place in the back streets of the town are funding organised crime. Local trading standards teams revealed the area has a particular problem because of the use of unregulated shisha and other specialist Asian tobacco. There is also a problem with fake cigarettes being sold in back alleys, car parks and shops, former Met Police detective Will O’Reilly said. LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH 21/12/2011 UK

Arrest after £20k of fake goods are seized FIVE people have been arrested and released on bail after £20,000 were recovered at a local market. Police and trading standards officers swooped on Bescot market on Sunday morning (December 18) as part of the operation Verve a crackdown on illegal traders in the run-up for Christmas WALSALL ADVERTISER 22/12/2011 UK

Counterfeit goods quick off blocks OLYMPIC sportswear has joined booze and tobacco on the podium in the fakes race this Christmas. South Yorkshire has seen an explosion in dodgy games-related goods being sold at markets and on the internet, according to Trading Standards. The counterfeit industry is having one of its best Christmases ever - as officials paid to protect the public are squeezed by spending cuts. Sheffield Trading Standards manager Phil Glaves said: "We are dealing with big distribution networks at the moment, especially tobacco and alcohol, but we're also seeing an explosion in sportswear in the run-up to the Olympics. "It's traditional brands, but the quality varies, the makers are not paying taxes and it's funding other forms of criminality”. DONCASTER STAR 22/12/2011 UK; SHEFFIELD STAR (CITY FIRST EDITION) 22/12/2011 UK

Rogue traders face jail Festive shoppers are being warned to watch out for online scams. West Yorkshire Trading Standards has warned consumers to beware of social networking websites selling cheap branded goods. Every year West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service receives hundreds of complaints from consumers who have bought counterfeit goods on line thinking they are getting a bargain. Often goods are described as genuine and are offered at discounted prices accompanied by photographs of the real thing. But when the goods arrive they are often poor quality replicas, cheaply made in the Far East. DEWSBURY REPORTER 22/12/2011 UK; SPENBOROUGH GUARDIAN (INCORPORATING HECKMONDWIKE HERALD 22/12/2011 UK

Warning over gift bargains Consumer watchdogs have warned shoppers to steer clear of bargain last-minute Christmas gifts which may turn out to counterfeit. The alert from Trading Standards follows the prosecution of a man who was selling counterfeit jewellery, clothing and toys online. MIDDLESBROUGH EVENING GAZETTE 22/12/2011 UK

Fake goods worth £30k are seized from vans COUNTERFEIT goods worth £30,000 were seized in a crackdown on traders heading to a North Wales market. Four people were arrested on Saturday as police pulled over vans and discovered thousands of pounds, worth of fake designer clothing, shoes and make up. Officers began their checks at 5am, stopping drivers on the A414 and M11. ESSEX CHRONICLE SERIES 22/12/2011 UK

Lorry’s 130,000 litres of smuggled booze seized WITHAM: Counterfeit and smuggled alcohol has been seized in Witham. Officers from HM Revenue and Customs searched a warehouse in Witham and discovered a lorry loaded with 130.000 litres of wine on which the duty had not been paid. As well as smuggled alcohol, Trading Standards officers also found bottles of fake Glen’s Vodka in independent storse in the town, but are refusing to reveal the two locations. ESSEX CHRONICLE SERIES 22/12/2011 UK

Swoops on fake traders Police carried out a series of raids in Evesham and seized a haul counterfeit goods. Entry warrants were carried out at residential addresses and a business by Worcestershire Regulatory Services as part of its Christmas anti-counterfeiting campaign. The exact locations of the raids can not be revealed as the investigation is still currently ongoing but it comes after the service received complaints from people concerned fake goods were being sold. EVESHAM OBSERVER 23/12/2011 UK

Fake labels are seized One of Gloucester’s most popular markets provided the unlikely backdrop for a massive haul of suspected fake goods. Items worth £1,000 were seized from Hempstead Market on Wednesday. GLOUCESTER CITIZEN 23/12/2011 UK

£110,000 from sale of fakes A man made £110,000 selling fake Bose headphones imported from China, a court heard. Surmip Aoulik, of Laurel Drive, Smethwick, pleaded guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday to six charges relating to selling counterfeit goods. Judge Michael Challinor adjourned the hearing until January 16 for sentencing and ordered reports on the defendant to be prepared. EXPRESS & STAR - DUDLEY ( LATE FINAL) 23/12/2011

Counterfeit toys seized in raid on trader Fake Thomas the Tank Engine and Roary racing car toys have been seized by trading standards in the run- up to Christmas. Officers took 38 of the look-alike toys from a trader in Chatham. They said the toys could easily be confused with genuine versions by parents and grandparents buying presents. KENT MESSENGER (SITTINGBOURNE EDITION) 23/12/2011 UK

Indian firms in ‘fake Scotch’ row AN INDIAN court has granted a temporary injunction against two drinks companies in the Country in a ‘fake’ Scotch whisky row, Scottish industry officials have said. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) believes the Indian whisky brands Royal Barrel, Glenmon and F&G were being passed off as Scotch Whisky through their labelling and packaging. DUNDEE COURIER & ADVERTISER (SERIES) 23/12/2011 UK

Newsagents alcohol licence is suspended A newsagents has had its alcohol licence suspended for two months for selling counterfeit bottles of whisky and vodka. A Brigthon and Hove CC panel took the decision to suspend the license of Rolyns News in North Road, Brighton, to allow the store’s staff to receive more training. BRIGHTON ARGUS 23/12/2011 UK

Taxman hammers cigarette smuggler A Cardiff man jailed for smuggling 1.2 million counterfeit cigarettes into the UK has been ordered to pay almost £300,000 or face another three and a half years in jail. Ihtesham Ali Hassan, 32, of Clive Street, had admitted shipping the cigarettes from China to Southampton by concealing them in wooden doors. SOUTH WALES ECHO 23/12/2011 UK

Fake goods crackdown to continue Council chiefs in Walsall have vowed to continue a crackdown on counterfeit goods. It comes after figures revealed around £26,000 of fake items including trainers, DVDs and clothes, were seized during the past year. This compares to more than £140,000 worth of goods the year before. Councillor Zahid Ali, cabinet member for communities, said: "The reduction in the number and value of seized goods for this year however should not be taken as an indication that the problem is decreasing”. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 27/12/2011 UK

Vodka alert Complaints from drinkers have helped trading standards officers uncover dozens of bottles of fake and potentially harmful vodka. Eight different brands of illicit vodka have seized from small convenience stores in Bournemouth in the run-up for Christmas. BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 28/12/2011 UK

Counterfeit goods are seized in raids A haul of fake and potentially dangerous counterfeit goods were destined as Christmas gifts. Trading standards officers seized the toys, fake mobile phone chargers, bottles of vodka and counterfeit make-up products during a number of raids. NEWHAM RECORDER 28/12/2011 UK

Trio arrested following seizure of counterfeit clothing Three people from Newham have been arrested after counterfeit goods with an estimated street value of more than £330,000 were seized during an Essex Police operation near Harlow. The goods involved fake designer clothes, boots and make-up and they were held for questioning when police were checking vans and lorries that were heading for the Saturday market at NorthWeald airfield on December 17. NEWHAM RECORDER 28/12/2011 UK

Four arrested on counterfeit goods charges Four people from Newham were arrested after an operation in Hastingwood, Essex in which boxes of fake designer clothes, boots and make-up were seized one week before Christmas. A 26-year-old man from Canning Town and a 30-year-old man from Plaistow were detained on suspicion of having counterfeit clothing. NEWHAM RECORDER 28/12/2011 UK

Man sold fake goods on eBay A Newport man convicted of selling £22,000- worth of counterfeit goods online was ordered to pay back almost £20,000. Richard Stratton, 39, of Llanwern Road, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on December 21, where he was made the subject of a Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation order worth £16,658.59. He was also fined £1,500, told to pay £1,500 costs and ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 28/12/2011 UK

Fake goods seized in big crackdown Thousands of pounds worth of fake trainers, clothing, illegal alcohol and bracelets have been seized across Walsall in a year-long crackdown. More than £26,000 worth of counterfeit items were discovered by trading standards officers in the area during the last 12 months. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 28/12/2011 UK

Record haul of tobacco seized Coventry Trading Standards officers confiscated more than 500,000 individual cigarettes in the eight months since April - a record amount and up 31% on last year. Trading Standards officials blame the rise on the attractive risk to reward ratio for criminals, because the penalties for peddling illegal tobacco are less severe than for drugs. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 28/12/2011 UK

Fake booze could prove to be lethal REVELLERS have been warned to keep their eyes peeled for potentially-lethal bootlegged liquor during New Year celebrations. The alert was raised by trading standards officers in Staffordshire after around 1,800 bottles of fake booze were discovered in searches of off-licences in recent months. Tests carried out on the bottles found the toxin methanol, a chemical used in antifreeze which can cause sickness, blurred vision, blindness and even death. BIRMINGHAM MAIL 30/12/2011 UK

Fake wine warning Hogmanay revellers are being warned to be on the lookout for a batch of fake wines. Following a complaint from resident, East Renfrewshire Councils environmental health and trading standards officers this week investigated bottles of alleged counterfeit Blossom Hill White Zinfandel wine. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 31/12/2011 UK

Raids uncover £20,000 of fake goods More than £20,000 of fake designer goods was seized during dawn raids in Turf Hill. Police and trading standards officers took away three carloads of Ugg boots, adidas tracksuits and Calvin Klein perfumes after swooping on a semi-detached house in Turf Hill Road on Weds December 21. ROCHDALE OBSERVER (SATURDAY) 31/12/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: November 2011

Sennheiser and Amazon to fight counterfeit goods Sennheiser, the audio specialist, has announced a partnership with Amazon, to crack down on counterfeit goods across Europe. To provide customers with the best service and protection against fake headphones, the two companies will impose strict regulations, which will squeeze out offending resellers and safeguard consumers and the integrity of Sennheiser products. CHANNEL INFO 01/11/2011 UK

Keeping one step ahead of the criminals COUNTERFEITERS continue to become ever more organised, professional and sophisticated. Packaging is their first point of call, often producing near perfect copies of containers and boxes that even the genuine producers finds difficult to tell apart from their own. PACKAGING TODAY 01/11/2011 UK

Trapping whisky fakes Scientists have developed a method of detecting counterfeit whisky using lasers which can test samples the size of a teardrop. The research, which has been patented, was carried out by physicists at the University of St Andrews and is being published by the journal Optics Express. DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 01/11/2011 UK DERBY TELEGRAPH 01/11/2011 UK; DUNDEE EVENING TELEGRAPH 01/11/2011 UK

Fighting back Counterfeiting continues to be a huge challenge affecting both branded and generic products, which although a worldwide issue, is especially prominent in developing countries; some reports suggest 80% of the counterfeit products are now coming out of China. PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY EUROPE 01/11/2011 UK

Drug addition The illegal drugs trade is big business, not just for street suppliers of heroin or cocaine, but for those that try to produce and market counterfeit versions of prescription medicines. It is a massive trade and one on which print plays a major role, both in persuading unsuspected users that the drugs they are about to take are legitimated through look-alike packaging and in protecting packaging from the efforts of counterfeiters. PRINT BUSINESS 01/11/2011 UK

Criminal trader to pay back £80,000 A counterfeit goods trader who was caught and prosecuted by Staffordshire County Council has been ordered to pay back £80,000 to the public. H e was convicted of nine offences under the Trade Marks 1994. A Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation order of £80,000 was made at Strafford Crown Court. EXPRESS & STAR - WEST MIDLANDS (FIRST) 03/11/2011 UK

Warning over counterfeit pyrotechnics SUFFOLK: Residents have been warned to be on the look-out for potentially dangerous fireworks. Following the reports of an increase in the amount of illegal counterfeit and banned fireworks available in the UK, Suffolk Trading Standards has urged people to be extra cautious this bonfire night. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 03/11/2011 UK

Illegal fireworks seized by police POLICE in Brierfield have seized hundreds of illegal fireworks after a spate if incidents in the town. Around 800 of the fireworks, with a street sale value of £160, were taken into police possession after information led them to a street trader. NELSON LEADER 04/11/2011 UK; BURNLEY EXPRESS (TUESDAY) (SERIES) 08/11/2011 UK

Lethal vodka seized A haul of illegal and potentially harmful vodka has been discovered in Bromsgrove. The discovery often bottles of counterfeit vodka branded as Arctic Ice comes after 12,000 litres of the drink was found in July which led to three arrests. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 04/11/2011 UK

Women told to be wary of fake beauty products WOMEN have been warned of the perils of buying fake cosmetics after it emerged that horse urine and insects have been found in cut-price grooming goods such as perfume and false eyelashes. HERALD, THE (GLASGOW) 04/11/2011; GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 04/11/2011 UK

Shops on alert as police find dangerous bangers PARENTS and shops have been put on alert after police seized a stash of dangerous illegal fireworks in a Doncaster village. Bangers have been illegal since 1997 but in Doncaster a number of the fire works have been recently seized from children as young as 12. DONCASTER STAR 05/11/2011 UK

Traders stand up to fight the fakes A CAMPIGN against counterfeit goods has got the backing of market traders. Members of the public worried they might get ripped off by being sold fake goods will now have the reassurance of the Real Deal initiative. BLACKPOOL CITIZEN (BLACKPOOL & LYTHAM ST. ANNES EDITION) 05/11/2011 UK

Honour for fight on fakes A man from Willenhall who has spent the years battling against counterfeit electrical products that threaten people’s safety has been presented with an award. EXPRESS & STAR WEEKEND - EAST (WALSALL, SANDWELL & MID STAFFS) 07/11/2011 UK

Booze seized at 73 shops BOOTLEG and fake booze was found at more than 73 shops and off-licences. More than 400 Independent businesses across Staffordshire were visited by Trading Standards in a three week crackdown. Almost one in five, a total of 73 stores was found to have counterfeit, bootleg or non duty paid alcohol. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 05/11/2011 UK; BURTON MAIL 08/11/2011 UK ; YOUR LEEK PAPER 09/11/2011 UK; STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) 10/11/2011 UK; COTSWOLD JOURNAL 10/11/2011 UK; EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 10/11/2011 UK; PRESTON & LEYLAND REPORTER 10/11/2011 UK; EVESHAM OBSERVER 11/11/2011 UK

Fake car accessories sellers is spared jail A CAR dealer avoided jail after he was handed a four month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for selling tens of thousands of fake car accessories, a court heard. The items were also being sold through various eBay accounts. He was found guilty at Bradford Crown Court of 12 counts of possessing and exposing the counterfeit stock. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 08/11/2011 UK

Fake vodka found to contain cleaning fluid... CLEANING fluid was found in samples of 900 bottles of fake vodka seized by Derby Trading standards officers. Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court yesterday condemned the bottles of counterfeit ''Drop Vodka'' as unfit for human consumption. Trading Standards officer Thompson told the court that the van driver, Erkan Kose, claimed to be delivered them for a third party. DERBY TELEGRAPH 09/11/2011 UK

Fears as illegal booze flooding our region Fake alcohol laced with potentially life-threatening substances is being produced and sold on the cheap in our region. Thousands of bottles and cans of counterfeit booze some laced with high levels of methanol known to cause blindness or even death is finding its way onto the shelves of off-licences in the Black Country and Staffordshire. EXPRESS & STAR - WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY FINAL) 10/11/2011 UK

Discovery brings a vodka warning A BAD batch of vodka could be circulating the Vale after counterfeit alcohol was discovered in the north of the country. There people were arrested in July by HM Revenue and Customs and another person is being investigated by Trading Standards following the seizure of 12,000 litres of counterfeit vodka branded as Arctic Ice. EVESHAM OBSERVER 11/11/2011 UK

Counterfeit CDs and toys seized A HAUL of over a thousand counterfeit DVDs and CDs, along with counterfeit toys and illegal tobacco products has been seized in Pendle. The seizure of the goods comes after recent raids on shops in Nelson and Longridge by Lancashire County Council’s Trading Standards service. NELSON LEADER 11/11/2011

Surprise charity windfall from fake cigarettes haul Council Trading Standards found thousands of packets of the cigarettes which were left inside an abandoned lorry in Rainham. There were 100 laundry bags of cigarette packets, some which contained Polystyrene shapes to make the packets seem full and lead, which weighted the same amount as cigarettes. ROMFORD RECORDER 11/11/2011 UK

Couple sold imitation adidas goods in shop. IT was designer wear with top names. But customers buying clothing by adidas, Henleys and Bench were no getting what they thought. Hundreds of the items sold by husband and wife Jumanah Nadeem and Mohammed Sarwar in their Kirklees shop were fakes. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 12/11/2011 UK; YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 12/11/2011 UK

Factory worker sold fake goods on website A factory worker sold fake wireless microphones on eBay. When the complaint was made that they could be counterfeit, he said that he sold reproduction microphones. But a court heard yesterday that they were ''clearly fake'' and it was illegal to sell them. He was fined £255 with £915 costs and magistrates ordered that the offending goods be confiscated. WESTERN MAIL SERIES 12/11/2011 UK; LEADER (WREXHAM) 15/11/2011 UK

Couple guilty of fake clothing racket A HUSBAND and wife were found to have counterfeit designer clothing for sale when trading standards officers visited their premises on two occasions, a court heard. Howard Shaw, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday when officers raided Miss Chief the following February they found more items and upstairs premises being used to store counterfeit goods which Sarwar and his wife accepted selling. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 12/11/2011 UK

Festive fakes funding brutal child cruelty in China Shoppers risk being fleeced this Christmas by crooks selling rip-off goods. And far from being harmless bargains, filthy hovels in China where child workers face brutal treatment at the hands of Snakehead people smuggling gangs. DAILY STAR - SUNDAY 13/11/2011 UK

Smoked out ALMOST a half-a-million pound worth of fake tobacco has been seized in one of Britain’s biggest raids on the illegal trade. Customs officers swooped on a string of warehouses, shops and market stalls across the country last week, discovering more than 700,000 illicit cigarettes and 25kg of roll-your-own-tobacco destined for the black market. SUNDAY MIRROR 13/11/2011 UK

Fake brands trades who ‘conned’ £84,000 TWO West Yorkshire traders were spared jail after being caught with hundreds of items of fake fashion brands at a potential £84,000 loss to the clothing industry. Husband and wife Mohammed Sarwar and Jumanah Nadeem, who run Miss Chief, a retail shop on Foundry Street in Dewsbury, were found guilty at Leeds Crown Court of ten counts of possessing and exposing for sale counterfeit designer clothing. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 14/11/2011 UK

Fake booze leads to loss of licence for town shop A DONCASTER shop has had its drinks licence confiscated after selling fake booze to unsuspecting customers. South Yorkshire Police worked with HM Revenue and Customs and Doncaster Council’s trading standards officers to have their licence revoked after counterfeit alcohol and cigarettes were found. SHEFFIELD STAR (SHEFFIELD, ROTHERHAM & BARNSLEY) 14/11/2011 UK

Business set up to trade in counterfeit goods A FACTORY worker sold desirable Shure wireless microphones for the music industry on his eBay account. When the complaint was made they could be counterfeit, he said he sold reproductions. But Flintshire Magistrates Court at Mold heard there was no difference and whatever the term used it was illegal to sell them. LEADER (WREXHAM) 15/11/2011 UK

£300K of fake designer gear bagged in warehouse raid Fake designer goods worth £300,000 and due to go on sale for Christmas were seized in a dawn swoop. It included counterfeit Ugg boots, 150 bottles of fake Stella McCartney perfume and bogus versions of trendy Paul's Boutique bags. Salford council trading standards, in partnership with the police, recovered the goods from a unit belonging to Gorsi Trading Ltd on Broughton Lane. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 16/11/2011 UK

Hundreds of bottles of fake vodka contain cleaning fluid CLEANING fluid in samples of 900 bottles of fake vodka seized by Derby trading standards officers. Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court condemned the bottles of counterfeit “Drop Vodka” as unfit for human consumption. The vodka was seized in August in a sting operation by trading standards officers, who intercepted a van carrying the vodka to 102 Dale Road in Derby. DERBY EXPRESS 17/11/2011 UK

Olympic effort to crush counterfeit Trading standard watchdogs in Birmingham today reveal the murky and dangerous world behind fake merchandise ahead of the 2012 Olympics. To the average shoppers, the Olympic-themed cigarette lighters look like the real deal. But to the trained eye of Birmingham consumer watchdogs it is clear that they are, in fact, fakes. BIRMINGHAM MAIL 21/11/2011 UK

Ensure you’re not caught out by conmen TRADING standards officers from Caerphilly county council are joining counterparts across the country to encourage consumers to double check the authenticity of goods bought online. Our trading standards officers are working alongside their colleagues across the country to stop fraudsters having a field day at the expense of our enjoyment. SOUTH WALES ECHO 22/11/2011 UK

Scam alert 2012 Games VIGILANCE has been urged among sports fan amid concerns fraudsters will be on the prowl for victims in the lead up to the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Games. Suffolk Trading Standards aims to shine a spotlight on fakes and scams that use sport to lure people in as part of the annual National Consumer Week. EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 22/11/2011 UK

Bogus sites MORE than 2,000 web shops selling fake or non existent goods have been shut down by police. Goods purportedly from GHD, UGG, Tiffany and Nike had been peddled by the sites, said the met Police E-Crime Unit, with shoppers tempted by low prices. OXFORD MAIL 22/11/2011 UK

Warning over counterfeit NEWPORT CITY Council’s trading standards officers are urging people to stay away from fraudsters selling counterfeit sporting goods. The drive part of the annual national consumer week taking place from Monday, with this year’s theme ‘Good Sports Don’t Fake It.’ SOUTH WALES ARGUS 22/11/2011 UK

Dodgy vodka con ends in court date A RAINHILL businessman has been found guilty of selling counterfeit vodka. Michael Lane, aged 38, Crosby, ran Kozi Ltd, Station Road, Rainhill. He was found guilty at St Helens Magistrates Court last week for possessing for sale counterfeit Smirnoff branded vodka. ST HELENS STAR 23/11/2011 UK

Shop to show tricks of the rip-off bargain trade A SHOP appearing to offer electrical goods, designer clobber and knock-off toys at bargain basement prices has sprung up in the city centre. But goods at the MiMix store outside St Stephen’s shopping centre, are not actually for sale. Hull City Council’s trading standards team set up the store to raise awareness of scams ahead of the festive shopping period. EAST HULL & HOLDERNESS ADVERTISER 24/11/2011 UK

Be a sport don’t get cheated Lincolnshire Trading Standards is urging consumer to check for fake sports products. The drive is part of the yearly National Consumer Week taking place until Friday, November 25. Heather Bellamy, Lincolnshire Trading Standards senior officer said: Unfortunately big game and sporting events present perfect opportunities fro criminals who target passionate fans. SCUNTHORPE EVENING TELEGRAPH 24/11/2011

Warning after ‘lethal’ bootleg vodka seized Town hall chiefs fear that bootleg vodka, laced with potentially lethal chemicals, is being traded on the black market. Trading standards officers seized 150 bottles of the counterfeit spirits from licensed premises in Salford. But they fear more dodgy booze is being sold from unlicensed premises and have launched an appeal to trace it. Two people are being questioned about the vodka. SALFORD ADVERTISER (INC. SALFORD CITY REPORTER) 24/11/2011 UK

Methanol found in off-licence booze raids RESIDENTS are being warned to be vigilant when buying booze to look for signs that they may be potentially dangerous counterfeit goods. Every independent off licence in the county has been visited by trading standards officers and seizures have been made in 73 stores. Initial test have found bottles containing methanol, a chemical used in anti-freeze and which can cause sore throats, dizziness, sickness, blurred vision and even blindness. STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) 24/11/2011 UK

Beware fake goods scams in build up to the Olympics WIGAN Council’s Trading Standards officers are out and about in Wigan this week to advise shoppers how to spot fakes and avoid rogue traders. It’s National Consumer Week and this year it has been focusing on the sale of counterfeit goods, particularly around sports-related merchandise, fake tickets, and bogus travel and accommodation packages. WIGAN REPORTER 24/11/2011 UK

Fake wine store in licence review A TOWN centre off-licence could be drinking in the last chance saloon after having its licence called in for review a second time. Trading standards now wants the future of the store discussed by the council’s licensing committee after 57 bottles of fake Jacob’s Creek wine were found on its shelves in April. MAIDENHEAD ADVERTISER 24/11/2011 UK

Warning over fake vodka MORE than 30 bottles of potentially dangerous vodka may have been sold to the public from a convenience store in Wesham. Lancashire County Council Trading Standards Service received police information that the store was selling a fake brand called Drop Vodka, bottled in Italy, from under the counter. Trading Standards officers and police inspected the shop and seized three bottles from behind the counter. LYTHAM ST ANNES EXPRESS 24/11/2011 UK

Mother’s eBay business made thousands selling fake goods A mother who set up her own eBay children’s party shop was caught selling fake goods after being ensnared by spider-man. Natalie McCarthy, aged 47, imported tens of thousands of goody-bags, pencil kits and other toys from the Philippines without realising they were fakes. She was trapped when suspicious trading standards officials bought a £4.99 Spider-Man rucksack and found it was a cheap copy of the original. WESTERN MORNING NEWS (SERIES) 24/11/2011 UK

Shoppers warned of online scams OXFORDSHIRE’S Trading Standards team is warning people to be careful when purchasing gifts online in the run up to Christmas, as complaints in the county rise by 29% compared to last year. According to Anti- counterfeiting Group (ACG), with more people choosing online more than £30bn is spent for 20% of all retail sales. OXFORD MAIL 24/11/2011 UK

What’s in a name? Trade design being ripped off PEOPLE are being warned to look out for fake sportswear and other goods as the Olympic Games approach. Cumbria Trading Standards is holding a series of events around the country to try and teach people how to spot the items. NORTH WEST EVENING MAIL (SERIES) 25/11/2011 UK

Gang of five jailed over £1.5 million fake vodka plot A MAN from Weston-Super-Mare who helped flood the drinks market with thousands of bottles of dangerous and illegal vodka has been jailed. Michael Matthews, from Stanley Road, was sent to prison for 18 months for his role in manufacturing almost 175,000 bottles of fake. ‘Glen’ vodka on a farm in Leicestershire. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 26/11/2011 UK; HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 26/11/2011 UK

Rogue traders plague small ventures with cheap copies COUNTERFEITERS are moving in on niche product categories, creating a legal headache for owners of small businesses trying to protect fledgling brands. The rapid growth in internet shopping and the ability to source products easily from around the globe has meant that counterfeiting is not longer merely limited to multinational fashion labels and sporting brands. FINANCIAL TIMES (UK & IRELAND EDITION) 26/11/2011 BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY MERCURY 27/11/2011 UK

Six held in blitz on counterfeit goods SIX people were arrested in raids across Failsworth, Manchester and Salford, in a pre-Christmas crack down on counterfeit trading. The counterfeit goods trade cost legal traders millions of pounds every year, and Friday’s operation part of project Gulf smashed a good fake DVD and CD ring. OLDHAM EVENING CHRONICLE 28/11/2011 UK

Man fined £200 for counterfeit goods A MAN who was running a counterfeit operation from his home in Caerphilly has been fined £200 and ordered to pay £690 court costs. Leighton Davies, from Gwaun Hyfryd, was prosecuted by the local authority’s trading standards service after it received information that he was supplying counterfeit luxury branded perfume, jean and leather wallets. SOUTH WALES ECHO 29/11/2011 UK

4 On fake Nike rap A COUNTERFEIT gang smuggled in fake designer goods worth millions from China including ‘Nike’ trainers and Louis Vuitton handbags, a court heard yesterday. The four men allegedly held the gear in storage centres before flogging it to market traders to sell at discount prices. SUN, THE 30/11/2011 UK

Beware of dangerous vodka drink OXFORDSHIRE trading standards has warned people no to drink an illegal brand vodka containing chemical found in de-icer and industrial cleaning products. The advise comes after Food Standards Agency report that the drink, called Drop Vodka, is not registered by any company in the UK and could be harmful. SURREY HERALD & STAINES NEWS SERIES 30/11/2011 UK; SURREY TIMES 30/11/2011 UK; LUTON NEWS 30/11/2011 UK; DUNSTABLE GAZETTE 30/11/2011 UK; WESTERN MAIL SERIES 30/11/2011 UK; CROWTHORNE & SANDHURST TIMES 30/11/2011 UK

Shop sold counterfeit cigarettes OWNERS of a Westcliff shop are £2,750 out of pocket after being caught selling dangerously strong counterfeit cigarettes. The company claimed it had been sold the cigarettes, which came in counterfeit Benson and Hedges packets, by a member of the public but it paid in cash, received no invoices and had no documentation of the transaction. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 17/11/2011 UK

Kids glorify killer vodka on Facebook Kids are setting up Facebook pages to promote deadly bootleg booze and boast about the terrifying effects from drinking it. The drinks contain poison including Chloroform, meths and isopropanol and can cause cancer, liver, failure, blindness, and even death. SUN, THE 18/11/2011 UK

Fake clothes pair in court AN INVESTIGATION into a shop selling fake UGG boots and branded clothing led to the discovery of the couple’s mortgage fraud. Leeds Crown Court heard how Sarwar held leases for both Foundry Street shops, which West Yorkshire Trading Standards visited in December 2009. Prosecutor Howard Shaw said officers saw counterfeit clothes on sale in both shops and found flyers bearing brand trade marks. DEWSBURY REPORTER 18/11/2011 UK

Don’t get caught out by deals too good to be true. A shop appearing to offer electrical goods, designer clobber and knock-off toys at bargain basement prices has sprung up in the city centre. But goods at the Mimix Store, outside St Stephen’s shopping centre, are not actually for sale. Hull City Council’s Trading Standards team set up the store to raise awareness of scams ahead of the festive shopping period. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 18/11/2011 UK

Beware of fake products online ONLINE shoppers in the county are being warned to be careful in the run-up to Christmas. Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards services has seen a 29 % rise in complaints compared to last year. It has received 60 complaints about counterfeit products since April, half of which were online. Last Christmas, the majority of complaints were about counterfeit UGG boots and GHD hair straighteners. ABINGDON HERALD 23/11/2011 UK

Fake jewel trade jailed A Chinese student has been jailed after being caught with a £3m haul of fake jewellery that contained dangerous levels nickel. Tests on pieces of fake designer jewellery he sold revealed nickel levels up to 28 times higher than is legal. He was given an 18-month prison sentence at Kingston Crown. WANDSWORTH GUARDIAN SERIES 24/11/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: October 2011

Fake debate: Are things ever as they seem? Northern Ireland Trading Standards had alerted the Beeb’s ‘Fake Britain’ programme to some bogus Volkswagen brake pads that it had uncovered. CAR & ACCESSORY TRADER [CAT] 01/10/2011 UK

Fake parts : new victims emerge The war against fakes in the aftermarket continues with big players like Autodata finding itself the victim of counterfeits. The vehicle information suppliers recently discovered a garage in Warwickshire was using a fake autodata CD. CAR & ACCESSORY TRADER [CAT] 01/10/2011 UK

Stopping the counterfeiters Manufactures of microprocessor-based systems where the product manufacturing costs are low but the development and marketing costs are high often find themselves victims of product counterfeiting attacks. COMPONENTS IN ELECTRONICS 01/10/2011 UK

Xbox copier sold fakes for £4.50 A JOBLESS Southampton man made a £10,000 a year living selling counterfeit computer games from a homespun website. Jamie Urbacz, 26, was caught out in an investigation by trading standards officers at Southampton City Council who bought some of the games which were found to be copies. SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 03/10/2011 UK

Video shows raccoon dogs being flayed alive... CRUEL breeders are skinning helpless raccoon dogs alive so their pelts can be used to churn out cheap copies of Ugg boots. A horrific video shows the terrified creatures being put through terrible torture to fuel the vile trade. SUN, THE 04/10/2011 UK

Air freshener alert Fake Air Wick air fresheners with chemical that can knock people out have been discovered on sale at markets. Trading standards officers found more than 160 counterfeit refills for battery-powered Air Wick Freshmatic sprays on sale at markets in Mold and Prestatyn in north Wales. DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 04/10/2011 UK; WALES DAILY POST 30/09/2011 UK

£1BN Booze scam BLACK market beer and spirits worth £1.2billion were sold in Britain last year - up 46 % costing the treasurer more than £800million in lost duty, customs chiefs revealed. They estimated that the bootleg booze takes up around 11 % alcohol sold and the total is around £850million up on the previous 12 months. SUN, THE 04/10/2011 UK

Sale of fake wine denied A 34-YEAR-OLD man is to stand trial accused of selling fake wine. Salvatore Capuano is facing four counts of breaking trade marking and food safety laws by selling 60 bottles of fake Jacob’s Creek wine in March this year. A trial is due to be held at Brighton Magistrate’s Court on December 15. BRIGHTON ARGUS 05/10/2011 UK

Fake bottles of wine found in Training Standards raids SHOPPERS are being warned to be extra vigilant with the products they buy after 40 bottles of counterfeit wine were found on sale in a shop. The wine, labelled as Jacob’s Creek, was seized from an independent off-licence in North Nottinghamshire following a series of visits to shops as part of crackdown on counterfeit alcohol. SHEFFIELD STAR (SHEFFIELD, ROTHERHAM & BARNSLEY) 06/10/2011 UK; DONCASTER STAR 06/10/2011 UK

Counterfeit goods seized from market THOUSANDS of pounds’ worth of fake goods were seized form stallholders at Bovingdon market on Saturday during a raid by police and Hertfordshire Trading Standards. Counterfeit CDs, DVDs, clothing jewellery, handbags, belts, and purses worth about £70,000 to £260,000 had they been genuine were taken from eight stalls. WATFORD OBSERVER 07/10/2011 UK

Fake medicines seized in raids Millions of pounds of fake medicines have been seized in areas around Cardiff as soaring numbers of cash- strapped Britons gamble with their lives by buying counterfeit drugs over the internet. SOUTH WALES ECHO 07/10/2011 UK

Woman sold clothes with fake brand logos A WOMAN has been found guilty of selling clothes featuring rip-off logos. Jamanah Nadeem, 32, of Millwater Avenue, Dewsbury, was convicted 26 counts of possessing and selling counterfeit goods after a trial at Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday. Jackets, Jeans, boots, T-shirts and handbags with unauthorised logos were at Nadeem’s shop, Miss Chief, in Foundry Street, Dewsbury, in February last year. DEWSBURY REPORTER 07/10/2011 UK

Warning: Fake booze can be a killer A TIDE of smuggled goods, including alcohol, tobacco and even condoms, is threatening to cause illness and death in Islington, according to a report this week. A staggering 800 litres of spirits, 5,000 bottles of wine and more than 3,500 cigarettes and other tobacco products have been seized so far this year. ISLINGTON TRIBUNE 07/10/2011 UK

Fake tobacco and DVDs found in customs raid More than 130kg of fake tobacco and dozens of counterfeit DVD's have been seized from a Derby home in a dawn raid. Officers from HM Revenue and Customs targeted the property, in Normanton, during the early hours of Tuesday. DERBY TELEGRAPH 08/10/2011 UK; DERBY EXPRESS 13/10/2011 UK

Police swoop in crackdown on fake vodka sales A CRACKDOWN on fake vodka in Derbyshire has led to the seizure of bottles from a shop in Chesterfield. Trading standards officers removed the bottles from the store and the contents are being analysed. A warning has been issue about the dangers of counterfeits vodka after a number of seizures in the county. DONCASTER STAR 08/10/2011 UK; SHEFFIELD STAR (SHEFFIELD, ROTHERHAM & BARNSLEY) 08/10/2011 UK

Seized clothing to be given to city’s homeless COUNTERFEIT clothing and trainers seized from rogue traders, will be used to help homeless people in Plymouth. The goods with a street value of about £184,000 were forfeited after three court cases in Plymouth. Goods seized by trading standards used to be destroyed or sent to landfill. Now a partnership with ‘His Church’ means the clothing can be recycled and redistributed to the poor and needy. PLYMOUTH HERALD 10/10/2011 UK

Stubbing out of fake goods PEDDLERS of counterfeit goods are feeling the pinch after a string of seizures by the authorities. Trading standards officers in Sunderland have confiscated thousands of pounds-worth of dodgy items including cigarettes, DVDs, vodka and clothing. SUNDERLAND ECHO 11/10/2011 UK

Call to turn in the illegal cig dealers A BID to stub out illegal cigarettes sales has been launched in South Tyneside. Council bosses have opened a tip-off hotline to crack down on ‘tab houses’ and shops, which are involved in selling tobacco, especially to children and young people. SHIELDS GAZETTE 12/10/2011 UK

Fake phone cover trade has stock seized A trader has been sentenced to 180 hours unpaid work after selling fake branded mobile phone covers on two mobile phone stalls within the Xscape building. The majority of the fake phone covers were branded with the apple logo, but also included Premier League football clubs and Ed Hardy labels. MK (MILTON KEYNES) NEWS 12/10/2011 UK

Fake vodka found in shops DANGEROUS counterfeit vodka which is known in extreme cases to cause blindness if drunk has been seized from shops across the county. DERBYSHIRE TIMES (SERIES) 13/10/2011 UK

Seized fake clothes to go to charity Fake designer clothes from dodgy market stallholders will be donated to charity. The haul, worth an estimated £25,000, was seized by Hackney Council’s trading standards steam during two operations early this year. HACKNEY GAZETTE 13/10/2011 UK

Student jailed for selling illegal impotence drugs A student who sold unlicensed impotence labels and buttons for use on fake designer clothing has been jailed. Harrow Crown Court heard 24-year-old Daanish Mulla ran a counterfeit racket selling tablets and sachets to treat impotence. KILBURN TIMES 13/10/2011 UK

Mini-mart closes after owner sold dodgy tobacco A LOLLIE Road mini-mart has been shut down by Trading Standards after repeatedly selling fake goods. The cigarettes did not carry health warnings. The 25-years-old was fined £1,015 and ordered to pay costs of £1,435. FULHAM CHRONICLE SERIES 14/10/2011 UK

TV FAN SWINDLED 200K A REAL-life Del Boy who bought a replica of the van in TV's Only Fools and Horses after making a fortune selling dodgy gear has Trottered off to jail. Trevor Wales, 54, evaded paying £200,000 in duty during a six- year counterfeit tobacco scam. He used the cash to buy a 4X4, jet skis, motorbikes and luxury caravans and built a two-storey extension on his semi complete with a games room and gym. But his pride and joy was a perfect replica of Del Boy's three-wheeler complete with the Trotters Independent Traders logo on the side. He was jailed alongside his wife and son, who were also in on the dodgy dealings. SUN, THE 14/10/2011 UK; YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 14/10/2011 UK

Jail for ‘Del Boy’ tobacco scammer A FATHER and son were today behind bars over their counterfeit tobacco scam. Trevor and Richard Wales dodged £200,000 in duty during the six year cigarette-selling operation. Trevor’s wife, Mary, acted as the banker of the profits, Leeds Crown Court heard. The trio enjoyed a life of luxury, despite only one of them working 20 hours a week. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 14/10/2011 UK

Warning over fake goods SCOTS flying during the school break were today warned over counterfeit goods at Glasgow Airport. The warning came as airport chiefs prepared for a busy October week, with thousands of holidaymakers set to fly out over the weekend. Europe and parts o f Africa are favourite haunts of the conmen selling fake goods because they attract so many visitors from Scotland and the rest of the UK. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 14/10/2011 UK

Don’t buy fake gifts that fund crime gangs, tourists warned SCOTS holidaymakers have been urged to avoid buying counterfeit goods abroad in a bid to crack down on serious organized crime. Gangs used the trade in fake goods to fund activities such as human trafficking, firearms and illegal drugs, officials have warned. SCOTSMAN, THE 15/10/2011 UK

Publican caught with fake goods loses licence A PUB landlord has had his personal licence revoked after being caught plying illegal booze and tobacco. Gray’s Corner landlord Geoffrey Davies appeared before Stoke-on-Trent City Councilors yesterday, and expressed his deepest regret after being caught with £11,363 worth of dodgy stock, including 37 counterfeit Stoke City track suit tops with the club logo and 55 kilos of non duty paid rolling tobacco. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 18/10/2011 UK

Fireworks Warnings They are dangerous and they could be on sale in Huddersfield. Unsafe fireworks have been made and they are illegally and wrongly being sold under the name of a reputable Huddersfield Fireworks Company. People buy fireworks from black Cat because of the company’s good name. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 18/10/2011 UK; MORLEY OBSERVER & ADVERTISER 19/10/2011; IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 03/11/2011 UK

Charged with selling fake vodka A MAN has appeared in court to deny an offence of selling vodka which bore a false trademark. Rashid Aziz is alleged to have committed the offence at the lifestyle shop in High Street, Swansea, on November 12 last year. In addition Aziz pleaded not guilty to possessing material which bore a false trademark and failing to comply with regulations by not being able to identity the person who supplied him a bottle of Chekov Vodka. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST (SERIES) 19/10/2011 UK

20,000 cigs seized in raid A TOTAL of 20,100 cigarettes and around 10kg of rolling tobacco have been seized in a raid in Mansfield. Officers from Notts trading standards and the police searched an address in the area this month. Some of the products found are counterfeits of brands including Golden Virginia tobacco and Regal cigarettes. NOTTINGHAM EVENING POST 21/10/2011 UK

Fake goods trader jailed for two years A large-scale importer of counterfeit items whose fake goods where distributed in Camden - including its markets has been jailed. Blackfriars Crown Court heard the 40 year-old, who holds a personal licence for the club, was caught following a three year investigation by Camden Council’s trading standards. KILBURN TIMES 22/10/2011 UK

Mock medicine A 57-years-old man has admitted producing counterfeit medicine. Philip Knowles, of Abingdon, appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday and admitted possession of medicinal products without a marketing authorisation and assembling medicinal products without authority. OXFORD MAIL 24/10/2011 UK; OXFORD MAIL 24/09/2011 UK

Businessman is smuggling gang is jailed A COMPANY director who became a key member in a criminal gang which smuggled more than 64 million fake cigarettes into the UK has been jailed for five years. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) found the gang had arranged 25 shipments of cigarettes in a major criminal operation which cost the taxpayer more than 10m in lost duty. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 26/10/2011 UK

BAT: squeeze pushes smokers to illicit brands British American Tobacco has warned that a squeeze on disposable income and tax rises by cash-strapped governments are pushing smokers into a booming illicit tobacco market. GUARDIAN, THE 27/10/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: September 2011

Chloroform found in fake vodka drink TRADING standards have issue a warning after confiscating a vodka drink, which contained chloroform, from several local shops. Staffordshire County Council officers also found methanol, which can cause blindness, and a chemical commonly used in cleaning products, in Arctic Ice Vodka. STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) 01/09/2011 UK

‘Our prisons are full’ judge tells offender A REPEAT offender convicted of selling fake goods at a Cambridgshire market has evaded jail after a judge said the prisons were ‘full to the brim’. The decision’s prompted a top Councillor and former Magistrate to call for the ministry of justice to act on the issue of prison capacity. CAMBRIDGE NEWS 01/09/2011 UK

Pay for your crime or go back to jail DISGRACED former Hull FC star Gareth Raynor is being pursued for illegally gained cash from an internet scam. A court has ordered him to sell personal assets to raise almost £120,000 to pay for his counterfeit eBay crime or go back to jail. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 02/09/2011 UK; EAST HULL & HOLDERNESS ADVERTISER 08/09/2011 UK; GOOLE TIMES 15/09/2011 UK

Whisky makes drinker feel ill TRADING standards officers have seized a bottle of fake whisky after a drinker complained it made him feel ill. Tests carried out on the fake Highland Glen Scotch Whisky found it contained cleaning chemicals. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 02/09/2011 UK

Entire stall seized as Tradings Standards officers raid market A MARKET trader vanished as a stall selling more than £16,000 worth of fake Ugg boots was seized in front of Saturday shoppers. LEAMINGTON SPA COURIER 02/09/2011 UK

Your venture can have all the trademarks of a success IN the last 18 months we’ve assisted almost 30 businesses from the North to set up in China, many of them from Yorkshire, and one of the recurring concerns is intellectual property (IP) YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 06/09/2011 UK

Fake designer clothes are donated to charity FAKE designer clothes with an estimated street value of £200,000 have been donated to charity by Warwickshire Trading Standards Services. More than 230 bags of counterfeit clothing, seized from markets stalls and other locations by trading standards officers, have been donated to the International Aid Trust. STRATFORD UPON AVON MIDWEEK 06/09/2011 UK; NUNEATON NEWS 02/09/2011 UK; BANBURY GUARDIAN 08/09/2011 UK; HENDON & FINCHLEY TIMES 08/09/2011 UK

De-icer found in bottles of vodka AN off- licence in Potters Bar is under investigation after an industrial solvent used in windscreen de-icer was found in bottles of alcohol. The entire stock of Drop Vodka at the store was seized by trading standards officers on August 16 after one customer said the spirit had left them feeling ill. EDGWARE & MILL HILL TIMES 08/09/2011 UK; BARNET & POTTERS BAR TIMES 08/09/2011 UK

Warning after dangerous fake vodka is seized at off-licence TAMWORTH drinkers are being warned to be on their guard after potentially-lethal fake vodka was seized from a town off-licence. Staffordshire County Council’s public protection team removed eight bottles of Arctic Ice Vodka from an unnamed shop and are already investigating another premises in the town. TAMWORTH HERALD 08/09/2011 UK

Safety alert after fake toys seized from stall DOZENS of potentially dangerous fake toys were seized from a market stall in Gillingham when trading standards officers swooped on the area last week. As many as 80 counterfeit toys, including popular brands such as Ben Ten and Toy Story 3 were confiscated. The trader could now face up to ten years in jail or an unlimited fine for selling them. Experts are warning anyone who may have bought the products which have been sent for safety standards testing to avoid giving them to children. MEDWAY NEWS 08/09/2011 UK RL star ordered to pay back 120k; MEDWAY NEWS 21/09/2011 UK

Officers scoop a Jacob’s Creek cracker! Bournemouth trading standards have seized a large amount of counterfeit wine from shops in Bournemouth. Replicas of Jacob’s Creek wine, totalling 51 bottles, were found in three newsagents in the area and it believes there may be many more still out on the shelves of other off-licences and shops. The labels on the bottless look convincing to the eye and it is only when you look at the back of the bottle that the misspelling of ‘Australia’ (Austrlia) is the only give-away. BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 09/09/2011 UK; SUN, THE 10/09/2011 UK

Raids discover 3,000 fake goods A HUGE haul of 3,000 counterfeit cigarettes and more than 90 litres of illegal vodka and wine has been seized in raids across Northamptonshire. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 10/09/2011 UK

Trader jailed for fake Viagra pills A HARD-UP trader who imported fake Viagra pills into Britain from India and China tried to sell them over the internet from his Northampton. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 10/09/2011 UK

Dawn raid at home of internet trader AN ONLINE trader suspected of selling fake chemical products had his home raided by Trading Standards officers yesterday. The man in his forties from Rising Bridge was the target of an early morning raid, after concerns were raised by consumers over the quality of an apparently branded product. The products were found not only to be fake but of poor quality, and would be likely to damage any system using them, according to Trading Standards. LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH 10/09/2011 UK; ACCRINGTON OBSERVER 16/09/2011 UK

Counterfeit tobacco worth £25,000 found Trading Standards officers have seized counterfeit tobacco with a street value estimated at more than £25,000. The 125kg haul was found in black bin liners, along with around 3,000 yet-to-be-filled tobacco pouches, from premises in the Cornwall. WESTERN MORNING NEWS (SERIES) 14/09/2011 UK; ST AUSTELL VOICE 21/09/2011 UK; CORNISH GUARDIAN (SERIES) 21/09/2011 UK; NEWQUAY VOICE 21/09/2011 UK

City shop caught selling illicit vodka and cigs A STORE caught selling fake vodka and illicit tobacco will have its fate drcided tomorrow. A licensing committee, made up of councillors, will discuss whether to modify the conditions of the licence, suspend it for up to three months or revoke it. DERBY TELEGRAPH 15/09/2011 UK

Tobacco criminals warned to stub out illegal activity TRADERS in illegal tobacco are being warned to quit their criminal activities, following a number of successful raids in North East Lincolnshire. The warning comes from the borough council after more illegal traders have been caught in ongoing operations carried out by local public protection officers. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 16/09/2011 UK

One in seven cigarettes in city ‘from an illicit source’ Almost one in seven cigarettes being smoked in Derby have been sold illegally, new figures suggest. Last month officers found and removed 16 packs of illicit tobacco, four bottles of smuggled vodka from the JD shop Dale Road, Normanton. DERBY TELEGRAPH 20/09/2011 UK

Car garages raided in trading standards sting on software SMALL car garages are being warned not to use counterfeit software to provide them with technical data on vehicles. Stoke-on-Trent Trading Standards has issued the warning after raids on counterfeit suppliers and garages. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 21/09/2011 UK

Cover story counterfeit brands A new wave of black market operations is taking counterfeiting away from market stalls selling poor imitations of luxury goods into three distinct new territories - sophisticated imitation websites, search and social media communications; low-cost everyday consumer goods; and bogus branded retail outlets. As much as 5-7% of the world merchandise trade is fake, according to the International Chamber of Commerce. This statistic has prompted the UK government to take action, with culture secretary Jeremy Hunt last week unveiling plans to increase pressure on search engines and internet service providers to close down fraudulent sellers, along with a proposed industry body to better identify counterfeit websites. MARKETING WEEK 22/09/2011 UK

Prison for ‘fake Club mastermind’ DESIGNER goods sold in Camden Town are so often counterfeit that anyone who shops there cannot claim to have been duped, Blackfriars Crown Court was told on Friday. The claim came from the defence team of a “man of multiple identities” jailed following the discovery of a mountain of fake bags, clothes and watches stored in a nightclub in Hartland Road, Camden Town. Bizarrely, given the nature of the case, the bar was called the Fake Club. Adrian Hindson, from Maida Vale, was sent to prison for two years after pleading guilty to 25 counts of trademarks offences and money laundering. Around 15,000 bags, clothes and watches – stamped with top brand symbols like Gucci, Rolex, Louis Vuitton and Prada – were found in his club in 2008. CAMDEN NEW JOURNAL 22/09/2011 UK

10,000 cigarettes and booze seized in bootleg crackdown A strong warning was today issue to independent traders after bootleg booze and nearly 10,000 illegal cigarettes were seized in a black market crackdown. The alcohol and tobacco products found during yesterday’s purge are now being analysed too see what hazardous materials may have been used in their production. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 22/09/2011 UK

Narrow escape for £83,000 internet counterfeit trio THREE people have narrowly avoided jail after selling £83,000 worth of designer clothing, electric toothbrushes and razor blades. They were each sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered for each to do 300 hours unpaid work. MILTON KEYNES CITIZEN 22/09/2011 UK

Trader jailed for selling fakes at hospital A TRADER has been jailed for four months after admitting selling fake designer clothing at Milton Keynes General Hospital. Derek Simms from Ruislip in Middlesex received the sentence at Amersham Crown Court after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing. The Court heard in April 2010, a tip off led Trading Standards officers to carry out test purchases at a temporary stall in the hospital foyer operated by Simms. MILTON KEYNES CITIZEN 22/09/2011 UK

Fake golf clubs trader must return 1m or head back to prison A Raynham businessman who pocketed a fortune by selling fake branded golf clubs on eBay was ordered to pay back £1million or face five more years behind bars. The hearing has been schedule to last for up to three weeks, with both prosecution and defence expected to present evidence in a bid to establish the true extent of his wealth. ROMFORD RECORDER 23/09/2011 UK

Fake booze sees more off-licences punished SIX more off-licences have been punished by the Town Hall for selling smuggled and counterfeit booze. The Rose Wine Off Licence in Fonthill Road, Finsbury Park, had its licence suspended for two weeks after bogus bottles of vodka, whisky and wine were found on its shelves. The Nag’s Head Off Licence in Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park, had its licence terminated for selling counterfeited bottles of sambuca, vodka and wine and selling vodka to children. ISLINGTON TRIBUNE 23/09/2011 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Fake vodka is found in raid on city plant Thousands of litres of fake vodka was seized during a raid on an illegal alcohol manufacturing plant in Birmingham. HM Revenue & Customs seized 2,000 litres of the Arctic Ice-branded vodka, which is not safe to drink. They also found glass bottles, a labelling machine and other items relating o the production of illegal alcohol. EXPRESS & STAR LATE FINAL (DUDLEY) 28/09/2011 UK

Man in court over fake goods A MAN pleaded guilty to possessing several thousand pounds of counterfeit goods. James Boere, 57, of Burnett’s Field, Horton Heath, admitted having a quantity of fake items including Lacoste T-shirts, Versace clothing and Harrods bags. SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 29/09/2011 UK

Fake breast cancer treatments ordered through the internet Millions of pounds of counterfeit medicines, including fake treatments for epilepsy, asthma and breast cancer, have been seized as growing numbers of Britons resort to buying drugs over the internet (Sam Lister writes). TIMES, THE 30/09/2011 UK

Cash offer is a novel idea The trade in counterfeit cigarettes is an absolute disgrace. No one can blame smokers for being tempted to buy them, due to the astronomical price of tobacco-related products. But counterfeit cigarettes often contain much higher levels of dangerous substances than the genuine article and pose a far greater risk to their health. LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO 30/09/2011 UK

Fake fags among haul confiscated from four city shops OFFICIALS seized 11,845 dubious cigarettes in raids on four shops in Lincoln. The echo can reveal they were taken out of circulation in a single day last month. It followed a year long intelligence gathering operation involving HM Revenue & Customs, Lincolnshire Police and Lincolnshire Trading Standards. LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO 30/09/2011 UK

Counterfeiters widen their reach Anyone with access to a computer would find it fairly easy to fake a label for any popular drinks brand. Counterfeiting has become a major bugbear for producers who spend millions building up their brands, only to see them undermined by knockoffs. OFF LICENCE NEWS [OLN] 30/09/2011 UK

Fake doses Millions of pounds of fake medicines have been soaring as cash-strapped Britons gamble with their lives buying counterfeit drugs over the internet. About 1.2 million suspect doses were discovered en route to the UK during a seven day crackdown on rogue websites selling treatments for an array of conditions including epilepsy and cancer. DUNDEE EVENING TELEGRAPH 30/09/2011 UK; SHEFFIELD STAR (SHEFFIELD, ROTHERHAM & BARNSLEY) 30/09/2011 UK; OXFORD MAIL 30/09/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: August 2011

Couple facing cigarette scam charges A husband and wife accused of laundering cigarettes worth more than £180,000 have appeared in court. LEADER (CHESTER) 01/08/2011 UK

Faked in China: from Apple’s misery FAKE STAFF, fake interior decoration and a complete shop full of fake electronics devices: The recent news regarding five bogus apple stores in China; perfect one-to-one copies of the original shops, showed once again that there are not limits to the creativity and ingenuity of counterfeiters in all industries. EE TIMES EUROPE (BELGIUM) 01/08/2011 UK

Raid smokes out fake fags ALMOST 15,000 illegal cigarettes have been found after a raid by trading standards chiefs in Blackpool. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 02/08/2011 UK

Permanent blindness and kidney failure... An explosion at an industrial unit in Boston, which killed five people in July, uncovered equipment for producing illegal alcohol. It threw the business of making and selling counterfeit booze under the spot light. LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO 03/08/2011 UK

‘Fake cigs shops raid’ A MASSIVE haul of fake cigarettes were found when two Gloucester shops were raided. The unnamed stores include one which The Citizen investigated last month after a reporter was sold illegal Jin Ling fags. GLOUCESTER CITIZEN 06/08/2011 UK

Fake designer clothing found Fake designer clothing worth £750,000 has been found in freight containers at Stansted Airport. About 15,000 counterfeit Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren and Gucci items were found in containers flown in from Turkey. CAMBRIDGE NEWS 02/08/2011 UK; SOUTHEND, BASILDON & CASTLEPOINT EVENING ECHO (SERIES) 03/08/2011 UK; COLCHESTER DAILY GAZETTE 30/08/2011 UK; ESSEX CHRONICLE SERIES 04/08/2011 UK; BISHOP`S STORTFORD & SAWBRIDGEWORTH OBSERVER 04/08/2011 UK eBay scam netted faker £86,000 AN eBay scammer made £86,000, in five months peddling counterfeit sports memorabilia, a court heard. RHYL, PRESTATYN & ABERGELE JOURNAL 03/08/2011 UK

Man sold designer fakes on Facebook Police acting on a tip-off searched a house and found a large amount of counterfeit designer gear. It turned out glazier Benjamin James Austi, 26, was selling items via his facebook site. WALES DAILY POST 03/08/2011 UK

Rogue trader had £77,000 of fake designer clothes in van A trader caught with thousands of pounds of fake designer goods en route to Wembley Market has been sentenced to community service. KILBURN TIMES 04/08/2011 UK

Fake wine seized in city swoop Shops across the Capital are being checked after potentially harmful bottles of fake wine were found in Liverpool five week ago. EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS 05/08/2011 UK

Fake booze seized in off-license raids Lethal counterfeit alcoholic drinks containing the same chemicals found in cleaning products has been seized from off-licenses in North Staffordshire. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 06/08/2011 UK

Fancy some fakes? Check out our catalogue Cheeky counterfeiters are using glossy brochures to lure people in Glasgow into buying fake goods. A catalogue was seized along with three van-loads of counterfeit goods - thought to have a retail value of £1 million - during a raid on a warehouse, on the South Side of the city. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 06/08/2011 UK

Lethal alcohol seized in series of raids Lethal counterfeit spirits and wines have been seized from shops in Staffordshire, it was revealed today. Bottles of Blossom Hill wine, arctic Ice vodka and Glens vodka were discovered in raids on several businesses in the county. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 08/08/2011 UK

Glasgow tops illegal tobacco trade market MORE than one in tenth cigarettes smoked in some parts of Scotland were sold illegally, new figures suggest. Illicit sales of cigarettes and hand rolling-tobacco cost the UK around 2 billion a year in lost tax and are increasingly linked to organized crime. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 09/08/2011 UK

DODGY DRINK COUNTERFEIT spirits and wines which could cause serious harm to health-or even death had been seized from Staffordshire shops. Staffordshire County Council’s public protection team has made its fifth seizure counterfeit alcohol at off-license, in the county, with all seizures taking place over the last two months. BURTON MAIL 09/08/2011 UK

Half buy fake goods Almost half of UK holidaymakers buy counterfeit goods when abroad, often after being duped into believing they were saving money on branded handbags, clothes and another items, according to a new report. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 09/08/2011 UK

Operation in wake of distillery blast clears off-licenses A covert operation carried in the wake of fatal explosion at an illegal vodka distillery has given Boston’s off- licenses a clean bill of health. BOSTON TARGET 10/08/2011 UK

Fake booze containing poisonous chemicals seized in shop raids Lethal counterfeit alcoholic drinks containing the same chemicals found in cleaning products have been seized from off licenses. Trading Standards officers have taken several hundred bottles of bogus vodka, wine and whisky from the shelves after inspections at a total of five shops in the authority’s laboratories in Stafford. LEEK POST & TIMES 10/08/2011 UK

Swoop on off-licenses secures counterfeit haul COUNTERFEIT spirits and wines have been seized from off licenses in the Moorlands following a country- wide operation. YOUR LEEK PAPER 10/08/2011 UK

OUR BLACK MARKET FAGS SHAME A SOARING black market cigarette trade in Paisley is funding organised crime in the town. Shock figures unveiled yesterday in an investigation by tobacco giant Philip Morris found that more that one in TEN fags smoked were illegal as Paisley topped the league of shame for fake cigarette sales. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 10/08/2011 UK; LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH 17/08/2011 UK

Officers seize fake booze and warn cheap copies are lethal Tamworth retailers and drinkers are being warned to watch out for fake alcohol after hundreds of bottles of potentially-lethal cheap booze were seized from shops in Staffordshire. TAMWORTH HERALD 11/08/2011 UK

Fake fags kids ‘prop up crime’ Around 4% of cigarettes sold in the city come from illegal traders and the council’s environment convener Bob Duncan said youngsters who can’t get served in shops are prime targets for sellers who channel the profits back to organised gangs. DUNDEE EVENING TELEGRAPH 11/08/2011 UK

Two are treated after collapse PARAMEDICS were called when two teenagers collapsed after consuming what was suspected to be fake vodka. They were at the Todstock festival and it is believed the fake vodka had been bought from a shop in Halifax. TODMORDEN NEWS 11/08/2011 UK

More traders back campaign against counterfeit goods MORE market traders in Grimsby are backing a campaign to project shoppers from counterfeit goods and misleading sales. North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) has signed up to the National Real Deal scheme to ensure local markets and car boot sales are safe and fair for customers. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 12/08/2011 UK

Off-license sold fake wine AN off-license has been punished for selling fake Jacob’s Creek and smuggled cigarettes, as well as letting children buy booze. BRIGHTON ARGUS 13/08/2011 UK

Team given award for stopping fake goods being sold A TEAM of Derbyshire Country Council trading standards officers have been applauded for their work in getting counterfeit goods off the street. The officers are part of the East Midlands Scambusters team, which has won an award from the Anti-Counterfeiting Group for its work across the region. DERBY TELEGRAPH 16/08/2011 UK; SHEFFIELD STAR (SHEFFIELD, ROTHERHAM & BARNSLEY) 17/08/2011 UK; BURTON MAIL 17/08/2011 UK

Fake cigarettes warning ILLEGAL cigarettes are being sold through under cover ‘fag houses’, Sunday markets and stores. That is the warning from trading standards chiefs who want smokers to report those responsible and steer clear of such products as they do not know what they are smoking. NUNEATON NEWS 16/08/2011 UK

Warning issued over counterfeit booze COUNTERFEIT spirits and wines which could cause death have been seized from Staffordshire shops. The county council public protection team has seized dodgy booze from off licences in the north of the country over the last two months. STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) 18/08/2011 UK

Market trader caught selling fake fags A market trader faces having his assets seized after he was caught selling fake designer clothing. Harrow Crown Court heard how the 34-year-old sold counterfeit bags, belts, sunglasses, caps, and jewellery at both Willesden and Kempton markets. KILBURN TIMES 18/08/2011 UK

Market trader selling goods caught by trading standards A STALL owner who sold fake bags, belts sunglasses, caps and jewellery at a market in Willesden has been ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work. Amit Kumar admitted three offences of possessing counterfeit items for sale at Harrow Crown Court. WEMBLEY OBSERVER 18/08/2011 UK

Fake cigs shock AN investigation by tobacco giant Philip Morris has named Blackpool as being among the worst places for illegal cigarettes. A spokesman for the international cigarettes manufacturer told the Gazette: “Blackpool has the North West’s third highest figures in smokers purchasing illicit tobacco”. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 19/08/2011 UK

900 bottles of fake vodka seized in blitz on dangerous counterfeits NINE hundred bottles of fake vodka and 150 packs of counterfeit tobacco were seized by trading standards officers in Derby during two operations on the same day. DERBY TELEGRAPH 19/08/2011 UK; SUN, THE 20/08/2011 UK

Swoops on rogue traders nets deadly vodka ALMOST 40,000 fake items including clothes and potentially deadly vodka have been in Lancashire in the past two years. Lancashire County Council1s Trading standards discovered 23,000 packets of cigarettes, 8,000 of loose tobacco, 1,000 items of clothing and 6,000 illegal items. LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 20/08/2011 UK

Fake cigarettes and booze seized in raids Four stores in Lincoln’s Lower High Street were swooped on in a coordinated strike yesterday morning. It came after a year of intelligence gathering by officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the county’s Trading standards team and Lincolnshire police. LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO 20/08/2011 UK

CAPITAL OF COUNTERFEIT LIVERPOOL today emerged as the region’s capital of crooked goods after seizures of fake clothes, illicit cigarettes and dodgy DVD’s from rogue traders. Bootleg vodka, smuggled perfume and knock-off computer software were among and incredible 183,222 items of counterfeit goods captured in the city in the past three years. LIVERPOOL ECHO 22/08/2011 UK

Latest city shop found selling fake vodka... MORE evidence of a surge in the sale of fake vodka has come to light in Derby as trading standards officers call for another shop to be striped of its alcohol license. Last week, Ezee Shop in Yates Streets, Normanton, had its license removed by Derby City Council. DERBY TELEGRAPH 23/08/2011 UK

Inquiry into deadly chemicals in booze CONSUMER watchdogs are investigating claims that deadly chemicals are being used to make fake spirits across West Yorkshire. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 23/08/2011 UK

Rise in illegal tobacco trading MORE of the tobacco smoked in St Helens has been smuggled illegally than in any other major town in the North West. HMRC chief’s say illicit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco are more often smuggled by the same sophisticated distribution networks as those who smuggled drugs and illegal weapons. ST HELENS REPORTER 24/08/2011 UK

Danger warning on fake alcohol Traders and consumers in Staffordshire are being warned about the dangers of counterfeit alcohol. Staffordshire CC public protection team has made a number of seizures of fake alcohol at off-licences across the county over the past two months but they are urging business and members of the public to remain alert to the its availability. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON W. MIDLANDS) 25/08/2011, MAYA NEWS 29/08/2011 UK

Online trader is spared prison term Time has run out for an online trader from Kingsbury who sold fake designer watches to his unsuspecting customers. Manish Patel, 32, of Kingsmead Avenue, sold imitation Rolex, Breitling, Panerai and Omega watches and accessories on auction websites including eBay and CQout.com for up to £259 a piece. Harrow Crown Court heard the former graphic designer drove a luxury Range Rover with a £20,000 personalised number plate which was bankrolled by his four-year scam. KILBURN TIMES 25/08/2011 UK

Fake goods seized ALMOST 40,000 counterfeit items ranging from clothing and toys to electrical items, computer parts and potentially lethal Vodka have been seized by Lancashire CC Trading Standards services in the past two years. The fake goods were seized from a variety of places from car boot sales to private houses. LANCASTER & MORECAMBE REPORTER 25/08/2011 UK

Trader sold fake goods An online trader sold hundreds of fake luxury items. Dean Cartwright, 34, was caught after trading standards officers bought fake UGG boots AND Christian Dior aftershave from his pure Impulse website. BRIGHTON ARGUS 27/08/2011 UK

Crackdown on fake alcohol sales FOUR shops face loosing their drink licenses and several others are being investigated in a zero “tolerance” crackdown on fake and smuggled alcohol. Shops now routinely face the loss of their licenses officers find counterfeit alcohol or imported drinks where duty has been evaded. BRIGHTON ARGUS 27/08/2011 UK

BOOTLEG VODKA DANGER TRADING standards detectives in Midlands have seized fake vodka so potent it could BLIND anyone who drinks it. Bottles of supposedly premium vodka bearing the Arctic Ice label are packed with dangerous chemicals found in cleaning products. There are dangerous levels of isopropanol used to clear oils slicks and clean laser lenses and the anaesthetic chloroform. BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY MERCURY 28/08/2011

DEADLY VODKA Fake vodka Arctic Ice, which is packed with killer chemicals, has been seized by trading standards officers in Staffordshire. DAILY MIRROR 29/08/2011 UK

Counterfeit items valued at £100,000 seized at market AN estimated £100,000 of counterfeit shoes, clothing, tobacco, watches and devices to enable people to play counterfeit Nintendo DS games, were seized from Wellesbourne Market recently. The items were discovered when Wellesbourne Safer Neighbourhood Team carried out operation Childwicksbury, along with Warwickshire TS, on 20th August. STRATFORD UPON AVON MIDWEEK 30/08/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: July 2011

Warning over fake cigarettes THE READY availability of cheap counterfeit cigarettes is introducing young people to smoking when they otherwise could not afford the habit, according to a public health specialist who addressed a conference on smuggling in Dublin. Rat droppings and pieces of red duct tape have been found in counterfeit cigarettes which are smuggled from China and account for about a fifth of tobacco smoked in the country. The conference also heard that Ireland’s organised crime gangs have joined forces with Russians and Eastern European criminals to flood the country with the counterfeit cigarettes. IRISH POST 02/07/2011 UK

Stallholders join counterfeit watch A CRACKDOWN on fake goods being sold on Burnley market has been launched. Fake goods make profits for criminals and damage honest businesses. BURNLEY EXPRESS (TUESDAY) 05/07/2011 UK

Market traders sold fake goods Two market traders have admitted selling fake goods at Bovingdon Market. Khaver Ehsan, 31, from Forest Gate, London, and Shakeel Khan, 35, from Tilehurst, Reading both appeared at Watford Magistrates Court on Monday, June27. Goods were seized from their stalls on Saturday, March 6, 2010 during a raid by Herts Trading Standards. Officers took more than 1,400 counterfeit CDs from Eosin’s stall. He pleaded guilty to eight offences under the Trade Marks. Act1994. BERKHAMSTED & TRING GAZETTE 06/07/2011 UK; WATFORD OBSERVER 08/07/2011 UK; BERKHAMSTED & TRING GAZETTE 27/07/2011 UK

Illegal cigarettes hamper quitters Health chiefs today admitted the illegal tobacco trade was hampering their bid to get smokers in Blackpool to quit. As revealed in yesterday’s Gazette, cheap, untaxed and often counterfeit cigarettes are being sold cheaply out of ‘fag houses’ or by ‘Robin Hoods’. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 07/07/2011 UK; BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 06/07/2011 UK; BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 02/08/2011 UK; SCOTTISH SUNDAY POST (SERIES) 07/08/2011 UK

Pair are jailed for smuggling more than a million cigarettes.. TWO men have been jailed for smuggling more than one million cigarettes avoiding tax of more than £150,000. Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how the Walsall pair were involved in a scam investigated by HMRC officers who recovered counterfeit Regal Kingsize cigarettes and brands which have no legal UK market. WALSALL ADVERTISER 07/07/2011 UK

Another counterfeit conviction on the market A TRADER found guilty of selling counterfeit goods on his stall at Milton Keynes market has been convicted. MILTON KEYNES CITIZEN 07/07/2011 UK

Warning as gangs flood city with dodgy vodkas ALCOHOL gangs are flooding Sheffield with record amounts of illicit vodka sparking fears over health, violent crime and antisocial behaviour. DONCASTER STAR 08/07/2011 UK

Tobacco seized from shops ILLEGAL tobacco has been seized from a number of premises in the Freeman Street area of Grimsby by North East Lincolnshire Council and Humberside Police. In a series of inspections to retail premises and homes, counterfeit Golden Virginia and Amber leaf tobacco was found. In total 9kg of tobacco and one packet of cigarettes were seized in June. Most of the illegal tobacco seized last month was taken from a shop. The authorities are now considering taking further action against those involved and more raids are planned. In total, since the council’s tobacco control officer post was created in December 2009, 3,500 packets of cigarettes and 41kg of tobacco have been seized. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 09/07/2011 UK

Counterfeits seized at gig FAKE T-shirts, sweatshirts and posters were seized at a mid-week gig attended by thousands of pop fans. Counterfeiters who targeted pop fans at a Black Eye Peas gig were themselves swooped on by a council team at Alton Towers on Wednesday night. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 09/07/2011 UK; LEEK POST & TIMES 13/07/2011 UK

£250,000 in counterfeit goods seized by trading standards More than £250,000 worth of counterfeit goods was seized by Leicestershire Trading Standards last year. Leicestershire County Council has urged people to be vigilant after Trading Standards seized more than 8,000 counterfeit goods, from fake jewellery to alcohol. BURTON MAIL 12/07/2011 UK

Market trader had fake designer clothes on stall Bridlington: A man from Bridlington has been found guilty of dealing in counterfeit goods at Skirlington Market. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 12/07/2011 UK; DRIFFIELD TIMES 13/07/2011 UK eBay faces fake goods liability after ruling by European court Online marketplaces, such as eBay, will have to remove advertisements for fake goods from their sites and be careful about the assistance they give sellers in promoting products in order to avoid being held liable for trademark infringements, Europe’s top court has ruled. The ruling follows a case brought by L'Oreal, the French cosmetics group, against the sale of branded goods on eBay four years ago. It will have consequences for the way online marketplaces are run. Luxury brand owners have complained for years that the growth of the internet has facilitated the trade in counterfeit goods. Dominic Batchelor, Intellectual Property partner at law firm Ashurst, said: “eBay will be concerned by this decision, which means it could be forced to prevent IP infringements by its users. FINANCIAL TIMES (UK & IRELAND EDITION) 13/07/2011 UK; ; FINANCIAL TIMES (UK & IRELAND EDITION) 13/07/2011 UK; EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 13/07/2011 UK; WESTERN MAIL SERIES 13/07/2011 UK

Real fears over fakes eBay took a pounding yesterday in a ruling over sales of fake clobber. The European Court of Justice ruled the internet auction site could be liable for counterfeits listed on its pages if it “actively” promoted them. The complex judgment was seen as a huge victory for luxury firms LOUIS VUITTON and cosmetics giant L’OREAL, which have sought damages for years. The Court signalled the ultimate decision on a crackdown lay with national governments. But Kirsten Gilbert, partner at solicitors MARKS &CLERK said: “Brand owners will be jubilant.” SUN, THE 13/07/2011 UK

Fake vodka could blind DRINKERS are being urged to look out for counterfeit bottles of vodka after a batch containing high levels of methanol was discovered in Bedford. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 13/07/2011 UK; NUNEATON NEWS 13/07/2011 UK

FIVE DEAD IN `BOOZE INFERNO` FIVE people died in a blast last night at an industrial unit allegedly used by migrants as a vodka plant. A sixth man was seen with his arms on fire escaping the burning building. His clothes were burnt off and he looked like his feet had melted a source at the site said. The survivor was fighting for his life in hospital last night. The source said he was 100% sure the unit was being used to make vodka. He added: “They were brewing vodka there it’s a well-known fact. They were just young lads, its absolutely tragic what has happened. They were foreign and could only have been in their 20s”. A police source said the victims were foreign nationals. Latvians and Portuguese were among those arriving at the industrial estate fearing they had friends among the dead. SUN, THE 14/07/2011 UK; SUN, THE 15/07/2011 UK; LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO 15/07/2011 UK LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH 15/07/2011 UK; SUNDAY EXPRESS 17/07/2011 UK

Trader’s imported tables were fake A BUSINESS breached copyright and trade mark legislation by passing off fake medication as Viagra, a Court heard. NORTHANTS EVENING TELEGRAPH 14/07/2011 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Trading Standards clamp down on fake JLS goods. MILTON Keynes Council’s trading standards team seized hundreds of counterfeit items at the packed out JLS concert. MILTON KEYNES CITIZEN 14/07/2011 UK

Traders arrested on busy market day Shoppers busy buying cheese, sausages and bread stared as police arrested two market traders and confiscated thousands of fake watches, handbags and sunglasses. CHESTER CHRONICLE (SERIES) 14/07/2011 UK

Smugglers jailed on 1m cigarettes hoard Two men from Walsall who smuggled more than one million cigarettes into the country have been sent to prison. Paul Harris and Graham Billingham pleaded guilty to tobacco smuggling. WALSALL CHRONICLE 14/07/2011 UK

Sports shop owner who sold fakes is behind bars A sports shop owner who cheated customers by selling fake versions of top designer has been jailed. Trading standards officers seized 349 garments from Nazakat Hussains Sportsbox stores, one in Cape Hill, Smethwick, and the other in High Street, West Bromwich. SANDWELL & GREAT BARR CHRONICLE 4/07/2011 UK

Shopkeeper fined for tobacco haul A SHOPKEEPER has been fined after being caught with hundreds of pounds of counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco. SHEFFIELD STAR (SHEFFIELD, ROTHERHAM & BARNSLEY) 15/07/2011 UK

Booze warning to vodka drinkers RESIDENTS in Barnsley are now being warned to look out for potentially harmful counterfeit vodka, after officials seized bottles from an off-licence in the Borough. DONCASTER STAR 15/07/2011 UK

Harmful bottles of industrial vodka at shops ILLEGAL bottles of vodka containing industrial alcohol have been found in small retailers in Hoyland, Darfield and wombwell. Residents are urged to check any vodka they have purchased in the last few weeks as it could harm their health. BARNSLEY CHRONICLE (SERIES) 15/07/2011 UK

Shop’s champagne was bubbly Cava... TWO shops have been prosecuted for selling fake champagne when the contents of the bottles was actually Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine. All food and wine on Bath Road and Metro Food and Wine, in Farnham Road Slough, had a number of bottles labelled Champagne costing from £59 for a magnum and £30 for a bottle. ROYAL BOROUGH OBSERVER 15/07/2011 UK

FAKE VODKA THE VODKA toast by Rebecca Dickson was meant to be a celebration of her love for her partner and a marker of their intention to marry but instead the clink of her glass against his proved to be her death knell. DAILY MAIL, THE 16/07/2011 UK

Britain flooded with fakes, EU figures show BRITAIN is being deluged with fake cigarettes, clothes, toys and medicines from China, official customs statistics from the European Commission have indicated. DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 16/07/2011 UK

Stamp out Illegal tobacco The murky world of tobacco smuggling is a billion pound industry here in Northern Ireland - and while buying a packet of illicit cigarettes may seem like an easy way to save a few quid - the profits are being ploughed straight back into the criminal underworld to fund drug and weapons deals, people smuggling and fraud. BELFAST SUNDAY LIFE 17/07/2011 UK

Shoppers warned of bogus booze risk

POTENTIALLY deadly counterfeit alcohol may be on sale in Peterborough, police have warned. AN HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) spokesman said over the last 12 months the HMRC has helped close down three illegal stills in the UK. PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH 19/07/2011 UK

LETHAL COCKTAIL POLICE investigating the explosion on the Broadfield Industrial Estate on Wednesday night have confirmed that illicit alcohol was being produced at the unit and distributed and sold as vodka. BOSTON TARGET 20/07/2011 UK; BOSTON STANDARD 20/07/2011 UK

Half of tourists buy counterfeit ALMOST half of holiday makers buy counterfeit goods when abroad, often after being duped into believing they were saving money on branded items, according to a report. HERALD, THE (GLASGOW) 21/07/2011 UK; EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS 21/07/2011 UK; SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 21/07/2011 UK; SHIELDS GAZETTE 21/07/2011 UK; SUN, THE 21/07/2011 UK

Sentencing delayed by bid to recover counterfeit gains A HAY-on-Wye man in court on fraud and trademark offences won’t be sentenced until next year. Trading Standards officers recovered 1,500 items from the 44-years-old’s home and a further 15,000 from his Hereford employer Orbiting Books. He has admitted nine trademark offences. HEREFORD TIMES 21/07/2011 UK

China sinks its teeth into Apple with fake stores China, long known for producing counterfeit consumer gadgets, software and brand name clothing, appears to have reached a new piracy milestone: fake Apple shops. SCOTSMAN, THE 22/07/2011 UK

Shopper’s secret hoard A SHOPAHOLIC housewife had a secret hoard of fake designer goods in her home, a court has heard. EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS 22/07/2011 UK

Trader jailed for selling counterfeit goods at market A TRADER who sold counterfeit goods at Bovingdon Market has been jailed for eight weeks. WATFORD OBSERVER 22/07/2011 UK

FAKE CIGS SOLD TO CHILDREN CHILDREN as young as seven are being sold fake cigarettes at dozens of “tab houses” in Middlesbrough, officials have warned. EVENING GAZETTE (MIDDLESBROUGH) 22/07/2011 UK

Smugglers’ stash of cigs AN UNDERWORLD smuggling network operating on Tyneside has been smashed after the biggest seizure of illegal cigarettes the region has ever seen. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 23/07/2011 UK; NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 23/07/2011 UK; NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE SUNDAY SUN 24/07/2011

12m faked cigarettes seized by Customs More then 12 million counterfeit cigarettes were seized as Customs officers smashed a £3 million smuggling operation. The huge haul, believed to have been imported from China, was destined for the black market. MAIL ON SUNDAY, THE 24/07/2011 UK

Dyson is no fan of copycats Industrial designer Sir James Dyson has ceremoniously destroyed 700 fake Air multiplier fans churned out by Chinese counterfeiters. He crushed them with a digger outside his firm’s Wiltshire headquarters in protest at Beijing turning a blind eye to the problem. METRO LONDON (INC, BRIGHTON) 25/07/2011 UK

11M fake cigs haul PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Eleven million fake ciggies have been seized by customs officers in a swoop which smashed a Chinese smuggling gang. The haul, worth £3million on the black market, was imported from China and destined for UK black market outlets. DAILY MIRROR 25/07/2011 UK; DAILY RECORD (SCOTLAND) 25/07/2011 UK

Test can detect fake whisky A NEW test to find counterfeit Scotch whisky brands has been developed by scientists. DUNDEE COURIER & ADVERTISER (DUNDEE EDITION) 26/07/2011 UK

City scientists test to sniff out fake drams Scientists at Glasgow University have found a new way of identifying fake whisky. The discovery will be used to tackle the trade in counterfeit whisky, which costs Scottish companies huge sums in lost revenue. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 26/07/2011 UK

Help prevent another tragedy POLICE and the council have made an urgent appeal for illegal brewing activity to prevent a repeat of the tragedy which claimed five lives in Boston last week. BOSTON TARGET 27/07/2011 UK; BOSTON STANDARD 27/07/2011 UK

Fake vodka seized in city shop contained cleaning fluid TEST on fake vodka seized in Derby have found it contained cleaning fluid and was “unfit for human consumption”. HM Revenue ad Customs (HMRC) discovered nearly 15 litres of the illicit booze on shelves in the shop and in a nearby storage area. DERBY TELEGRAPH 29/07/2011 UK

Counterfeit alcohol sparks warning DRINKERS are being warned to be vigilant after trading standards discovered counterfeit vodka and wine being sold at convenience store in High Wycombe. BUCKS FREE PRESS 29/07/2011 UK

25,000 illegal cigarettes seized More than 25,000 cigarettes, 20 kilos of tobacco and a Range Rover were seized in a police and Customs swoop. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE SUNDAY SUN 31/07/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: June 2011

Councillor is cleared of bootleg alcohol charges AN Enfield councillor accused of selling bootleg alcohol from his shop in Ealing has been cleared of all charges. Councillor Ali Bakir was arrested in November last year when suspicion fell on alleged bogus bottles of Glenn’s Vodka being sold at his shop, the Broadway International Food Centre in West Ealing. The 42-year-old was formally charged in February with three counts of possession of counterfeit goods, and his case was passed up from Ealing Magistrates Court to Isleworth Crown Court. But at a hearing on Tuesday, May 10, CPS barristers admitted the charged against Cllr Bakir was incorrect and applied to change it to a charge of evasion of duty. The judge decided there was insufficient evidence to carry on with prosecution and the case was dismissed with the CPS offering no evidence. ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 01/06/2011 UK

A Gadget by any other name... Some may call them bargains, but everybody really knows them as fakes. It’s a billion dollar industry that encompasses everything from perfume to cigarettes, clothes to technology, and it’s growing all the time. MICRO MART 02/06/2011 UK

Council goes after disgraced former FC player’s assets EAST Riding Council is taking legal action to confiscate assets held by disgraced ex-Hull FC Gareth Raynor. The rugby league player went to prison for a total of 15 months in May last year for running an internet ink cartridge scam worth £95,500. He pleaded guilty to 14 counts of counterfeiting and one count of fraud. Trading standards officers raided Raynor’s home in Brough in August 2008, seizing a large number of fake ink cartridges. Hull Crown Court subsequently heard how he ran an internet company selling cartridges containing low quality ink from China on the auction website eBay, passing them off as high quality brands such as Epson. He also counterfeited computer games. Now it has emerged the council is set to bring confiscation proceedings against Raynor under the proceeds of Crime Act. EAST HULL & HOLDERNESS ADVERTISER 02/06/2011 UK

Stallholder was trading in fake designer clothes AN EASTLEIGH trader has been handed a 12 month suspended sentence for selling fake designer clothes. Arvinder Singh Kang, 26, was caught selling knock-off Lacoste polo shirts for £10 from his market stall by undercover Hampshire TS officers who seized just over 400 items of clothing, including T-shirts and tracksuits. Tests confirmed that 369 of the items were counterfeit goods which, if genuine, would have been worth around £9,000. Kang, from Coventry pleaded guilty to eight charges relating to the sale and possession of counterfeit clothing contrary to the Trade Marks Act 1994. SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 03/06/2011 UK

DODGY DEALERS HIT BY £3M OF SEIZURES THOUSANDS of dodgy goods including computer games, sunglasses and clocks totalling nearly £3million were seized in the Black Country last year. Sandwell Council trading standards officers smashed into the fake goods trade with a series of raids. Officers also took legal action under the Proceeds of Crime Act to seize cash in 12 UK bank accounts in Spain, as well as a house in the UK, an apartment in Spain, land in Brazil and more than £13,000-worth of jewellery. BIRMINGHAM MAIL 03/06/2011 UK

Shocked Eileen landed with threat of legal action... IT was a charity shop bargain but when Eileen Hollingworth put her new handbag on eBay she was stunned to be threatened with legal action for selling a ‘counterfeit’ product. The 50-year-old grandmother said the popular internet auction site pulled the listing for the bag because of its similarity to products by London based handbags maker Radley. And just days after she said she received a letter from solicitors saying they would “pursue further action” unless she provided further details about where she got the bag. Mrs Hollingworth, of Ettas Way, Ettwall, said she first saw the bag in a charity shop in Burton and noticed its similarity to a Radley bag which typically sell for more than £100 on the high street. DERBY TELEGRAPH 04/06/2011 UK

Counterfeit sales warning CAR boot sale visitors are being urged by HM Revenue & Customs to be on the lookout for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes and alcohol at “bargain” prices. HMRC said expert packaging makes it almost impossible to spot the difference, but the cigarettes themselves may be made in back-street or underground factories with no guarantee of the quality or content. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 03/06/2011 UK; SOUTH WALES ECHO 06/06/2011 – 07/06/2011 UK

Watch out for fake fags and booze SOUTH WALES Visitors to car boot sales are being urged by HM Revenue & Customers to be on the lookout for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes and alcohol at ‘bargain’ prices. Expertly crafted packaging makes it almost impossible to spot whether the tobacco and alcohol products are counterfeit and there is not guarantee of the quality or content. SOUTH WALES ECHO 07/06/2011 UK

Fake clothing salesmen facing jail TWO men who tried to sell thousands of pounds of fake merchandise at one of the city’s biggest events could face jail. Simon Hempsall, 39, of Loughshaw, Staffordshire and his father John Hempsall, 62, of Hockley Road, Tamworth were caught selling counterfeit Scania truck clothing at a Truckfest at the East of England Showground last year. Trading Standards officers visited the pair, who are directors of clothing firm Work Wear UK, at their stall and seized a total of 1,600 items, including jackets, caps, coats, and polo shirts which were valued at £18,000. On Monday, the pair appeared at Peterborough Crown Court after they pleaded guilty to two offences under the Trade Mark Act at a preview hearing. James Earle. Prosecuting, told the court that although the pair did not make the items, they had imported them to sell. PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH 08/06/2011 UK

Spot the fakes, plea TRADING standards bosses in Renfrewshire are calling on consumers to come forward with information about counterfeit crime. Renfrewshire Council is marking World Anti-Counterfeiting Day by asking buddies to be aware of the impact the sale of such goods can have on the local economy. Counterfeit goods are often produced by organised criminal gangs and the money made from unsuspecting shoppers goes to fund gun- running, people trafficking and the drugs trade. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 08/06/2011 UK

Vodka from anti-freeze is among fake goods seized Consumer watchdogs have warned people to watch out for fake and potentially dangerous goods on sale in Norfolk. Today is world anti-counterfeiting day, and Norfolk County Council Trading Standards is warning consumers to be on their guard. In the past 12 months, they have seized counterfeit alcohol and tobacco in Norwich, Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn. Their haul included Vodka containing dangerous chemicals believed to have been produced by vehicle anti-freeze. It was difficult to distinguish this product, falsely labelled as Glen’s Vodka, from the genuine examples of the brand of vodka, but it would have posed significant danger to health if drunk. Officers have also seized counterfeit champagne, with similar concerns about how they were made. Officers have found toys with dangerous and illegal levels of led and chromium, plus counterfeit CDs, DVDs and clothing. NORWICH EVENING NEWS 08/06/2011 UK

Action on fakes for sale Bosses at Bescot Sunday Market are aiming to crack down on counterfeit goods after agreeing to a national customers charter ensuring customers get a fair deal. LSD Promotions Ltd have signed up to the Real Deal initiative which has been backed by Walsall Council trading standards. In March this year more than £4,500 worth of fake footwear and clothes were seized. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 08/06/2011 UK

Take advantage of a new website ONLINE shoppers are being urged to take advantage of a new website that could help prevent them from inadvertently buying fake goods online. Bosses at Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service are appealing to people to take a look at www.brand-i.org, which has been launched to coincide with World Anti-Counterfeiting Day. It is very easy to set up a professional looking website that gives the seller of fake branded goods legitimacy and many are being sold at very similar prices to the genuine articles. Anyone in the world can register a website ending it .co.uk to give a customer the impression that the website relates to a company based in the UK. NUNEATON NEWS 08/06/2011 UK

Warning over counterfeit goods on sale Consumer watchdogs have warned people to watch out for fakes and potentially dangerous goods on sale in Norfolk. In the past 12 months, they have seized counterfeit alcohol and tobacco in Norwich, Great, Yarmouth and King’s Lynn. Their haul included vodka containing dangerous chemicals believed to have been produced from vehicle anti-freeze. It was difficult to distinguish this product, falsely labeled as Glen’s Vodka, from genuine examples of the brand, but it would have posed significant dangers to health if drunk. Officers have also seized counterfeit gin and champagne, with similar concerns about how they were made. Seizures of counterfeit tobacco have increased over the past 12 months. The tobacco, a mixture of bootleg foreign imports and hand rolling variety, carried no health warnings and little or not labeling. Officers also found children’s toys with dangerous and illegal levels of lead and chromium. EASTERN DAILY PRESS 08/06/2011 UK

Police seized fake goods COUNTERFEIT clothing worth £3,665 has been seized from a stall on a South Yorkshire market. The items, with the trade names Ugg, Jack Wills and Barbour items, were seized by police during a check on all goods being sold on the Barnsley stall. The stall owner has had their licence allowing them to trade on the market terminated. SHEFFIELD STAR (SHEFFIELD, ROTHERHAM & BARNSLEY) 09/06/2011 UK

Bootleg clothes seized ALMOST £3 million worth of fake goods were confiscated by trading standards officers in Sandwell last year, including up to £2 million of counterfeit designer clothes. Once fake goods have been picked up, trading standards officers can apply to freeze suspect bank accounts under the Proceeds of Crime Act. SANDWELL & GREAT BARR CHRONICLE 09/06/2011 UK

Fake luxury goods seized at horse fair TRADING standards officers seized £50,000 of counterfeit goods at Appleby Horse Fair including fake designer potties claimed to be from the Chanel and Dior labels. A counterfeit Swarovski crystal washing up bowl and Christian Dior wash basket were also found. A team from Cumbria County Council was joined by brand holders from the Anti-counterfeit Group to target traders selling fake goods at the fair. CUMBERLAND NEWS (SERIES) 10/06/2011 UK; NORTHERN ECHO 11/06/2011 UK

Bad hair day for fake trader A MAN found selling fake hair straighteners has been ordered to pay thousands of pounds by magistrates. Oxfordshire Trading Standards pounced on Michael Williams, after an Abingdon woman reported buying a defective pair of GHDs from his website cguklondon.co.uk. The item would not turn on properly and the plug went up in sparks. The ceramic coating on a replacement pair then started to come away, but the woman was unable to contact 27-year-old Williams. Prosecutor Anu Prashar said: “Michael Williams was making a staggering 100% profit on the hair straighteners. Records show he had purchased each set for around £40 from China, and sold them for on or around £80”. OXFORD MAIL 10/06/2011 UK; ABINGDON HERALD 15/06/2011 UK

POLICE SEIZE FAKE X BOXES More than £500,000-worth of illegally ‘chipped’ X box consoles and copied video games have been seized by Birmingham Trading Standards and police officers. BIRMINGHAM MAIL 14/06/2011 UK

Counterfeit cigarettes seized in raid on flat A SHOPKEEPER has been fined after more than 40,000 counterfeit cigarettes were seized in a flat above a Coventry store. Mustafa Abdulla, of CP supermarket, in Humber Avenue, Stoke, was fined almost £4,000 at Coventry Magistrates Court. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 14/06/2011 UK

Council joins the Real Deal MARKET organisers and businesses in North East Lincolnshire are being encouraged to support a national campaign which protects shoppers against the trade in fake goods. The trading standards team at North East Lincolnshire Council has signed up to the ‘Real Deal’ campaign, demonstrating their commitment to ensuring that the borough’s markets are safe and fair. Market and car boot sales are not uniformly regulated nationally and, therefore, can offer opportunities for illegal traders, particularly in counterfeit and pirate goods. The Real Deal is supported by many major organisations, including Crimestoppers, Consumer Direct, and several big business names such as Manchester United FC, adidas, GHD hair products and BPI (British Recorded Music Industry). GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 14/06/2011 UK

‘Bargains could be counterfeit’ VISITORS to car boot sales in Merthyr Tydfil are being urged by HMRC to be on the lookout for traders selling counterfeit cigarettes and alcohol at “bargain” prices. HMRC said packaging is making it “almost impossible” for customers to spot whether cheap tobacco and alcohol products are fake, leaving no guarantee of the product’s quality. Stuart Cruikshank, assistant director at HMRC, said: “Low-cost tobacco and products can often seem very attractive to people who believe they are buying genuine products at a knock-down price. But those involved are not concerned if they are selling to under age young people, and the illicit trade has a devastating impact on legitimate retailers and the local community. We all pay extra to compensate for the money these criminals steal and with the economic challenges being faced by business and the public, our focus must remain relentless to deter and disrupt the illegal trade”. SOUTH WALES ECHO 14/06/2011 UK

WARNING TO WASHERS SHOPPERS and traders on Teesside are being warned not to be taken to the cleaners by fake washing powder. Consumer watchdogs in Middlebrough have found hundreds of boxes of phony washing powder on sale. The discovery of the fake “Persil Non Bio Washing Powder” was made at a number of retail outlets by Middlesbrough Council Trading Standards. The counterfeit washing powder can be distinguished from the genuine products by the box which is made of flimsy cardboard with poor quality printing and muted colours. The traders concerned claimed to have purchased the powder in good faith from what they though was a legitimate trader, although it was not their usual supplier. Trading standards’ advice to business is to buy only from reputable sources where they can be certain of the origin of the product. EVENING GAZETTE (MIDDLESBROUGH) 15/06/2011 UK; MIDDLESBROUGH HERALD & POST 23/06/2011 UK

Shopkeeper fined for tobacco haul A SHOPKEEPER has been fined after being caught with hundreds of pounds of counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco. Hussain Asem, who runs Halan Grocers, Bellhouse Road, Shiregreen, pleaded guilty to charges of possession for sale of illicit cigarettes and tobacco products without proper health warnings and also offering for sale ‘black snuff’ oral tobacco which cannot be legally sold in the UK. Asem was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £337 towards the council’s costs. DONCASTER STAR 15/06/2011 UK

Rogue trader to pay £701.70 A man found in possession of more than 50 items of fake designer clothes and footwear has been ordered to pay more than £700 in costs and carry out unpaid work. Arron Street, aged, 25, of Hadley Road, Walsall was found with a haul of counterfeit Nike trainers, Lyle and Scott polo shirts, G-Star Raw hooded tops and jeans, Timberland shorts, Dolce and Gabbana jeans and Henleys t-shirts. Police made the discovery when they stopped his van in Telford Road, Beechdale, on April 19, 2009. EXPRESS & STAR LATE FINAL (DUDLEY) 15/06/2011 UK

Footballer’s goal is to repay £65k after selling fakes A SEMI-PROFESSIONAL footballer from Hoddesdon was ordered to hand over £65,000 after he was caught selling fake Nike trainers on eBay. Christopher Wild who plays for Billericay Town in the Ryman League was found to have hundreds of pairs of counterfeit Air and Air Max Shoes when trading standards officers raided his Hoddesdon home. The 28-years-old, of Roselands Avenue, pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial to 11 charges of contravening the Trademarks Act 1994. Trading standards officers made a test purchase of Nike trainers from an eBay account in February 2008. The trainers, which were fake, had a return label giving Wild’s address. In May that year some 425 pairs of counterfeit Nike trainers Wild’s home. HODDESDON & BROXBOURNE MERCURY 16/06/2011 UK; LEA VALLEY STAR 15/06/2011 UK

Swoop on eBay traders COUNTERFEIT goods worth £34,000 for sale in an internet business scam have been seized by trading standards officers from Lancashire County Council. More than 850 items were seized; including 777 garments mainly polo shirts and 92 wallets and key rings. The goods were found in a bedroom, study and attic at the property, which was being used to run an eBay retail business by two women in their thirties. One of the women was inside at the time of the raid but neither has been arrested. The items have been sent away for investigation and the haul is being treated as suspicious. ACCRINGTON OBSERVER 17/06/2011 UK

Give and fake Brits SOME six million Brits have given counterfeit goods as gifts, a study revealed yesterday. Of those, 32% were unable to tell the difference so wouldn’t pay for the genuine item. More than half of the 2,000 polled by Microsoft did not think piracy was serious. But Ruth Orchard, of the Anti-counterfeit Group said: “You are helping fund global organised crime”. SUN, THE 21/06/2011 UK

Fake cigarettes seized More than 4,000 counterfeit cigarettes have been seized in a raid on a shop in West Bromwich. Trading standards officers also seized 20 pouches of counterfeit tobacco, 100 counterfeit DVDs and three bottles of suspected counterfeit Bacardi rum in the swoop. SANDWELL & GREAT BARR CHRONICLE 16/06/2011 UK

Fake vodka haul could ruin drinkers’ eyesight COUNTERFEIT vodka that can lead to blindness has been seized by trading standards officers in Swansea. An investigation is now under way after a local shop was allegedly found selling it. Effects of methanol poisoning include abdominal pain, drowsiness and dizziness, blurred vision leading to blindness, and breathing difficulties. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 16/06/2011 UK

Man told to pay 41k over fake manuals A STRAFFORD man who made £85,000 selling counterfeit car repair manuals has been ordered to payback nearly half of his ill-gotten gain. Kristopher Ombler, 25, of Avon Bank Drive, Luddington Road, was told by a judge at Leamington Crown Court to cough up £41,000 within six months or go to prison for a year. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 23/06/2011 UK

A MAN from Kenton accused of trading in counterfeit inhalers A MAN from Kenton accused of trading in counterfeit inhalers for asthmatics has been acquitted. Anand Mehta, 28, of Oakfield Avenue, has been charged with possessing, importing and selling the inhalers but denied all knowledge. At Harrow Crown Court on Monday a jury found him not guilty on all counts. Prosecutors Dominc Connolly admitted afterwards that the case that the Mehta was not strong enough. He told the observer: “There was insufficient evidence to convict him. He had denied all knowledge of the deal and the jury agreed.” WEMBLEY OBSERVER 23/06/2011 UK

Warning after fake wine scam discovery A FAKE wine scam was exposed after a raid on a city off-licence. The wine was being sold in used bottles of such well-known brands as Echo Falls, Blossom Hill, Kumala, and Hardy’s. It’s now being analysed to see if it is harmful to people’s health. One of the bottles recovered by Trading Standards officers even had used chewing gum at the bottom of it. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST 23/06/2011 UK; LIVERPOOL ECHO 23/06/2011 UK

Danger toys PARENTS are being reminded to be on their guard against dangerous fake toys after some were found to be potentially poisonous. Trading Standards officials in Leicestershire issued the warning after finding potentially poisonous heavy metals and hormone-disrupting plastics in fakes of the popular Ben 10 toys. WALES DAILY POST 24/06/2011 UK; SOUTHEND, BASILDON & CASTLEPOINT EVENING ECHO (SERIES) 24/06/2011 UK; LIVERPOOL DAILY POST 24/06/2011 UK

Brits buy bogus presents NEW RESEARCH has revealed Brits are turning to counterfeit gifts for friends and family members. Figures show that six million people in the UK may have knowingly bought fake goods as a present last year. 40% of those who admitted buying bogus merchandise had revealed they had bought a fake gift as a birthday present. 19% had bought a counterfeit item as a Christmas gift, and a distinctly unromantic 15% had given a fake as a Valentine’s Day present. The report, by Internet giants Microsoft, said 32% of Glaswegians who had bought counterfeits had done so because of cash worries. When asked if they would still buy fake goods such as pirate software knowing that it funds prostitution, drug trafficking and kidnapping, 8% said they would still do it. SCOTTISH SUNDAY POST (SERIES) 26/06/2011 UK; DAILY RECORD (SCOTLAND) 27/06/2011 UK

Car boot sale to be the ‘Real Deal’ TRADING standards officers are putting the boot in to pedlars of fake goods Genuine market traders and car-booters have been invited to sign up they are the Real Deal as part of a national campaign to stamp out those selling fake goods. Trading Standards officers are now inspecting everything from medicines to car parts to ensure no counterfeit goods slip through the net. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 27/06/2011

MAN FINED FOR FAKE CIGARETTES A MAN was fined £8,000 for illegally selling alcohol and counterfeit cigarettes. Stephen Henry, 61, pleaded guilty at Knowsley magistrates’ court to two offences of selling counterfeit tobacco and one offence of selling alcohol without a licence. Henry of Westminster Grove, Prescott was offering the goods as part of his business selling soft drinks and crisps door to door. Officers seized almost 44,000 cigarettes, more than £31k of hand rolling tobacco and 340 litres of alcohol, along with £5,000 in cash. Investigations by Knowsley council’s trading standards team and the North West regional illicit tobacco team revealed that a large quantity of the seized tobacco was counterfeit. Magistrates also instructed that all of counterfeit items seized should be destroyed. LIVERPOOL ECHO 27/06/2011 UK

Jailed father and son stood to make £6,000 from fakes A FATHER and son from Tamworth caught selling counterfeit clothing they claimed they didn’t know were fakes have been jailed. Simon Hempsall, aged 39, of Loughshaw, Stonydelph and his father Jon Hempsall, aged 62, of Hockley Road, Winecote sold the fake Scania truck clothing at Truckfest at the East of England Showground last year. Appearing before Peterborough Crown Court the duo were both sent to prison for two months. The Hempsalls, who trade as Workwear UK, were also ordered to pay a combined total of £18,000 - £8,000 each and £2,000 for the company after admitting two offences under the Trade Marks Act at a previous hearing. In addition they were made to pay £1,500 costs each, and the company was fined £5,000. Judge Madge ordered that the all clothing seized in the operation be destroyed. Both men looked stunned as Judge Madge passed the sentence. TAMWORTH HERALD 30/06/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: May 2011 BACK ON THE FAGS A BRAZEN smuggling gang has been caught dealing deadly counterfeit cigarettes just months after they were exposed on TV. Shocking pictures show crook John Scullion back at Ayr market peddling tobacco after he was named and shamed in a BBC Scotland Investigation in January. Cheeky Scullion and his cronies openly sold ‘illicit whites’ tobacco from China with 30 times more lead than normal cigarettes at Ayr Sunday market on April 17. The images were taken by former Metropolitan Police officer Bob Fenton during an undercover swoop on tobacco smugglers, who rob the country of £4billion a year in tax. SCOTTISH SUNDAY MAIL 01/05/2011 UK; SCOTTISH SUNDAY MAIL 01/05/2011 UK

Pair jailed over fake cigarettes scam bid A BID to smuggle 3.6 million counterfeit cigarettes into Britain hidden in plastic toys led to jail for two men. Gerald Courtney and Mark Anthony Rees, planned to flood South Wales with their illicit haul which was thwarted when HMRC officers overheard them discussing their scam at Cardiff Docks. The cigarettes had been hidden in a container shipped into the UK via Felixstowe, and were then transported to the city by road. The amount of duty evaded was £670,000. Rees and Courtney were both sentenced for five years. WALES ON SUNDAY (SERIES) 01/05/2011 UK; BARRY GEM 05/05/2011 UK; BARRY & DISTRICT NEWS 05/05/2011 UK; WALES ON SUNDAY (SERIES) 01/05/2011 UK

Counterfeit Spares now a very real problem in the UK Problems arise when fake or counterfeit goods are passed off in varying degrees of success as the real thing. Sadly, in the world of maintenance and engineering, the consequences of inadvertently buying counterfeit goods can lead to, at best, anything from premature wear and failure of the part concerned, to hugely costly damage to associated plant and machinery. In the worst case scenario, users, employees and the general public can be subjected to a serious safety risk. In a recent incident, a total of 2.5 tonnes of counterfeit SKF bearings were seized by Trading Standards officers from a non-authorised SKF bearing distributor in the UK. This has prompted Brammer, a supplier of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) products and services, to issue a fresh warning to UK industry about the problems posed by counterfeit spares, as there is now mounting evidence to show that the threat in the UK is very real. MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING 01/05/2011 UK

Pensioner fined for selling cheap goods out of van A 70-YEAR-OLD pensioner drove around ‘underprivileged’ areas of Swansea on a weekly basis to sell cut- price goods to the community including fireworks, counterfeit tobacco and booze. City magistrates heard that van-man Terence Maynard, of Heol y Cadifor, Penlan, took the task upon himself over a time span of a decade, but on more than a social basis than to make profit. Katia Daw, prosecuting, said he was not authorised to do so. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 02/05/2011 UK

Alert over car boot sale fakes VISITORS to the string of car boot sales in South Devon during the spring and summer are being urged by customs officers to be wary of traders selling counterfeit alcohol and smuggled cigarettes at ‘bargain prices’. They said expertly crafted packaging makes it nearly impossible to spot whether cheap tobacco and alcohol products are not the real deal. A customs spokesman said: “Like any other counterfeit products, there is no guarantee of the quality or content. They are not genuine cigarettes brought back from holiday but they were probably made in back streets or underground factories across the world and their manufacture and sale is unlicensed and unregulated”. TORQUAY HERALD EXPRESS SERIES 03/05/2011 UK

PAIR SOLD SPORT FAKES IN SPITE OF WARNING A married couple sold counterfeit sporstwear at a Wolverhampton market for almost seven years, including rip-offs of major brands such as adidas, Superdry, and G-Star. Jasmeet Kaur Bhagi and Makhan Singh Bhagi were warned by trading standards officers about selling the fakes at Bilston Market in May 2004 and again in October 2009, city magistrates heard. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 04/05/2011 UK

Couple face court over fakes claim A couple are to stand trial accused of selling fake designer clothes and sunglasses. Keith and Hayley Horton, of Harborne Road, Oldbury, denied more than a dozen charges each at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday. The couple, who stand accused of selling brands purporting to be designer labels like Karen Millen, Gucci and French Connection, will face a two week trial later this year. It was not disclosed how much money was made through the alleged forgeries. Both were bailed to a date to be set. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 04/05/2011 UK

Hard-up L-driver instructor may lose house... A DRIVING instructor could be forced to sell his house after admitting selling fake designer goods on eBay. Cardiff Crown Court ordered Matthew Knight, 41 to forfeit £29,650 under the proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). He said he’d looked for a second income after 10 years in the L driver business because too many people were trying their hand at being self-employed driving instructors, following redundancy, and that means less work for him. He needed to supplement his income but in order to raise the amount he may have to put his home at Tan y Fron, Barry, on the market. Knight, a married man with no previous convictions, said he didn’t know the goods he bought and sold were counterfeit but he accepted he didn’t make as many checks as he should have done. Judge Patrick Curran QC said: “the prosecution have accepted this was a case of negligence not fraud. Deliberated fraud would have mean jail”. SOUTH WALES ECHO 05/05/2011 UK

Raid on city market FAKE designer goods worth more than £150,000 were seized during a bank holiday raid on a city market. Trading standards officers and police swooped on Brighton Racecourse Market on Monday in a bid to catch peddlers of fake goods in the act. Hundreds of items, including pirate CDs and DVDs, computer games and clocks bearing fake designer labels such as Ralph Lauren, Calving Klein, and Dolce & Gabbana were all found. It is the third major haul taken from the market in the past year. Officers netted a black market van- load of goods that included fake Nintendo games and piles of phoney Ugg boots. Officers targeted five stalls on Monday but said that with extra staff they would have come away with even more fakes. BRIGHTON ARGUS 06/05/2011 UK

Woman, 71 in court on fags rap A PENSIONER was in court charged with two offences of supplying over 3,000 counterfeit cigarettes and four offences of supplying tobacco products which failed to display the required health warnings on the packaging. June Kinvig, 71, of Heskin Road, Kirkby, pleaded guilty to the offences when she appeared at Huyton Magistrates Court. She was fined £200 and ordered to pay £300 costs. LIVERPOOL ECHO 10/05/2011 UK

Cigarettes seized in house raid ILLEGAL cigarettes were seized in a raid on a house in on Wednesday, April 13, after receiving a tip-off about its occupants dealing in counterfeit tobacco and cigarettes. NEWS POST LEADER 12/05/2011 UK

Sport fakes trader is ordered to repay £104k A MARKET trader from Wolverhampton who was caught selling counterfeit football merchandise at car boot sales has been ordered to repay £104,000. Trading standards officers swooped on Gurdeyal Rhoad at a car boot sale in Saredon near Cannock. They recovered a pile of “cheap knock-offs” including boxes containing 250 counterfeit baseball caps, 59 T-shirts and nine jackets bearing the trademarks of Premiership clubs. Rhoad, of Avondale Road, Whitmore Reans, was ordered to pay back £104,000 at Stafford Crown Court this week following a Proceeds of Crime Hearing, He was warned he would be jailed for two years if he did not produce the money within six months. WOLVERHAMPTON CHRONICLE 12/05/2011 UK; CANNOCK & LICHFIELD CHRONICLE 12/05/2011 UK

Fake sports goods seized from stall A MARRIED couple sold counterfeit sportswear at a Wolverhampton market for almost seven years, including rip offs of major brands such as adidas, Superdry and G-Star. Jasmeet Kaur Bhagi and Makhan Singh Bhagi were warned by trading standards officers about selling the fakes at Bilston Market in May 2004 and again in October 2009, city magistrates heard. But the couple, both aged 51, continued the illegal trade to pay debts and their mortgage. That was despite seven further visits from trading standards and brand protection services. WOLVERHAMPTON CHRONICLE 12/05/2011 UK

Trading teams accolade for smashing golf scam A crack team from Havering Council which smashed a huge eBay scam worth millions of pounds has been recognised with a national accolade. Havering Council trading standard’s team were named best department in the country in the Anti-Counterfeit Group’s annual awards held last Thursday. It recognises the outstanding work in Operation Augusta, the biggest counterfeit scam of its kind investigated by a Council trading standards team and the largest ever uncovered on eBay. The defendants sold fake gold clubs and merchandise internationally through the website between June 2003 and March 2008. Ringleader Rainham, organised the delivery of more than six tons of golf equipment into the UK alone. He was jailed for four years and three months in March 2010. Six others were also convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court. ROMFORD RECORDER 13/05/2011 UK

Tripped up by trainers Just how safe is online shopping? Perfectly, if you buy from a reputable retailer but how can you tell who is a reputable retailer and who isn’t? Its one thing when the seller carries a recognisable high street name, but many shops today are web only, and a worryingly large numbers of those are not what they seem. It's much easier to set yourself up as an online shopkeeper than it is to open an actual shop. You don’t need any capital, and surprisingly, you don’t even need anything to sell. All you need is the right software and good English to make your site look convincing. As for stock, you simply buy it from another supplier when an order comes in, apply your mark up and arrange for it to be sent on. That of course assumes that you intend to fulfil your orders. This morning, I searched online for Nike Air Max Trainers; not because I yearn for street credibility, but because I have been inundated with unwanted emails about them for two weeks now. They are flavour of the month for counterfeiters, and sure enough, among the search results I found several traders hiding behind aliases in China, whose stock appeared to be either phoney or non-existent. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 14/05/2011 UK

£100,000 to be paid back A MOTHER and son who made tens of thousands of ponds from selling fake designer gear online have been ordered to pay back the cash. Sharen and Guy Wetson must repay almost £100,000 they made through the eBay scam. Detectives discovered they had been buying in dodgy designer goods, including handbags and clothing, from china, and flogging it on eBay. In December, Guy was jailed for 12 months while his mother Sharen was sentenced to 51 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to do 100 hours’ unpaid work. JOURNAL, THE (NEWCASTLE) 14/05/2011 UK; NEWS GUARDIAN WHITLEY BAY EDITION 19/05/2011 UK

Shoppers are warned after counterfeit iPhones seized Leicester City Council officers have seized three of the fake devices, which were seized by police from people selling them in the city during the past few months. The phones were being offered for sale as new in the street for £60. However they are copies of an earlier iPhone model which sell for £120. Three people have been interviewed as officials try to establish how the handsets came to be in the UK and how many are in circulation. LEICESTER MERCURY (SERIES) 18/05/2011 UK

Raid found £30k counterfeit goods A HAY-ON-WYE man could go to prison after about £30,000 of counterfeits were found at his house. Trading standards officers who recovered 1,500 items from his Warren Close home and a further 15,000 from his book firm employer in Hereford said it was one of the biggest counterfeit operations they had ever seen. Michael Perangie, 43, appeared at Brecon Law Courts on Friday on several charges related to the unlawful sale of various DVD box sets, cosmetics and clothes. Orbiting Books Ltd, was also charged with similar offences. Both parties entered guilty pleas. HEREFORD TIMES 19/05/2011 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Fake iPhones could be on sale in city TRADING standards officers in Derby are warning people to beware of cheap counterfeit iPhones which could be offered for sale in the city. Although the handsets look the same, officers say they are inferior. DERBY TELEGRAPH 19/05/2011 UK

Counterfeit clothes trade gets suspended sentence A MARKET trader who sold counterfeit clothes from his stall at Wellesbourne market had fakes worth thousands of pounds in his van and his home when he was arrested. But at Warwick Crown Court stall holder Zaheer Ahmed escaped a prison sentence for selling the illegal clothing at Wellesbourne and Donnington markets. The court heard the clothing seized from Ahmed, which would have been worth £58,000 if it was genuine, would have sold for around £16,000 on his two stalls. Ahmed, aged 32, of Avondale Road Sparkhill, Birmingham, was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work and a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act was adjourned for an investigation into his finances to take place. STRATFORD-UPON-AVON HERALD 19/05/2011 UK

Shops fine for dodgy phone accessories TWO shopkeepers who run neighbouring businesses in Harrow town centre have been fined for selling fake and unsafe mobile telephone accessories bearing the trademarks of manufacturers such as Nokia, Playboy, Sony Ericson and Apple on July 19 last year. Mobile phone chargers were seized as part of the haul and found to be unsafe and dangerous. Kawaljeet Sign Anand, 20 owner of Anand Accessories, in St Ann’s Road, Harrow, admitted offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994 and Consumer Protection Act 1987 and was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1,425 to Brent and Harrow Trading Standards. Farhad Naffee, 26, who runs Euro Fashions next door, was fined £1,250. WEMBLEY OBSERVER 19/05/2011 UK

BOOZE SEIZED A HUGE haul of counterfeit alcohol and tobacco has been seized by police and customs officials. They swooped on a property in Kincardine, Fife, after a tip-off from a member of the public earlier this week. The operation between Fife Police and HMRC was part of a larger crackdown on youth disorder and anti-social behaviour in the area. The seizure included 752 litres of wine spirits, 1118 packets of cigarettes and 24 kg of rolling tobacco. DAILY RECORD (SCOTLAND) 21/05/2011 UK

Counterfeit goods alert for car boot sales customers TRADING standards watchdogs have sent out a warning for people to beware of counterfeit goods. Many people will attend car boot sales over the warmer months both as customers looking for a bargain and as sellers running stalls to make some extra money. But trading standards officers say some ‘bargains’ may not be what they appeared. A spokesman for the department said: “There are an increasing number of stalls operating regularly through the car boot season who may be selling fakes such as branded perfume or beauty products that could leave you with a nasty burn or rash. There is also counterfeit clothing that falls apart at the seams after a few wears, and copied or downloaded DVDs and MP3s that are of poor quality and ruin your overall enjoyment. These are just a few examples that are both illegal and damaging for the legitimate business who sell the real articles. Counterfeiters cost jobs and if caught selling such articles could face heavy penalties. Trading standards attend car boot sales both undercover and openly. LEADER (WREXHAM) 20/05/2011 UK

Counterfeit Spurs goods seized from European cup AN ‘Aladdin’s cave’ of football merchandise was confiscated by Haringey Council officers during six Champions League games. Police and council officers picked up thousands of counterfeit goods which were falsely displaying the Spurs brand as well as logos from competing football clubs. With six Champions League games at White Hart Lane this year, each European game attracted local and foreign illegal traders who come from as far away as Spain. Officers said that the traders often hawk their wares inside cafés, restaurants, pubs, betting shops or directly on the streets around the ground. They try to shift fake merchandise, namely football scarves, T-shirts, hats, and badges which are often sub-standard. HARINGEY ADVERTISER 25/05/2011 UK

Trader is fined for selling counterfeit superhero bags A market vendor who has been trading in Ipswich for 28 years has been fined thousands of pounds for retailing counterfeit superhero bags. Mitchell Donald Lloyd will pay £2,315 after pleading guilty to selling goods bearing a false trademark, possessing an article which infringed copyright and seven charges of possessing a false trademark for sale or hire. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 25/05/2011 UK

Wine scam probe after store raid in county A NATIONWIDE wine racket is thought to be opening in North Yorkshire after counterfeit bottles were seized in a raid on a store in Selby. The bottles of Shiraz, Merlot, Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon Chardonnay were taken away for testing after a customer reported concerns about £6.99 bottles she had bought. She complained the wine tasted bad and she has concerns about its authenticity. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 26/05/2011 UK

Market trader facing court A MARKET trader who sold counterfeit clothes from his stall at two Midlands markets had fakes worth thousands of pounds in his van and at his home when he was arrested. Zaheer Ahmed, of Avondale Road, Sparkhill, admitted seven charges of possessing counterfeit goods and seven of having them on sale at Donning and Wellesbourne markets. The 32 year old was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months. BIRMINGHAM MAIL 28/05/2011 UK

Fake Viagra is found in house THOUSANDS of fake Viagra pills and items of counterfeit clothing were found after trading standards officers raided a Northampton house. Victor Cheke, edge 41, of Leyside Court, Overstone Lodge, was charged with importing a prescription drug for sale without authority and possessing clothing with a false trade mark for sale. The court heard that a raid of Cheke's house on April 9 uncovered ore than 8,000 tablets, which contained Sildenafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction. Counterfeit clothing with designer names such as Ralph Lauren, adidas and Lyle & Scott were also found on the premises. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 28/05/2011 UK

Designer fakers hit in pocket Two men found in possession of fake designer belts and bags had more than £25,000 confiscated by Snaresbrook Crown Court. On May 13, Fashal Khan of Wallesley Road, Slough was served with a confiscation order of £17,000 and Idris Khan of Pepys Close, Colnbrook was served with a confiscation order of £11,143 on May 19. Each was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work. The fakes, including copies of Louis Vuitton and Gucci, were discovered at a self-storage site in Tower Hamlets. EAST END LIFE 30/05/2011 UK

Fake fags full of rat droppings are hitting our streets THE ECHO today lifts the lid on the black market trade that starts in China and ends up behind the counters of corner shops, pubs and newsagents across Liverpool. Illegal cigarettes are flooding into the city as organised gangs look to make millions off the back of the UK’s sky-high tax policy. Tax hikes have seen the recommended retail price for 20 cigarettes hit the £7 mark making Britain the second most expensive place in the world to smoke behind Ireland. Behind the soaring prices have been people on a tight budget resorting to buying under-the-counter packets unaware of the massive added health risk they are exposing themselves to. On top of the normal risks associated with smoking the cut-price packs and rolling tobacco, pouches can be filled with plastic, sand, dust, dead insects, and even rat droppings. They look like many of the regular brands seen on display but have names like Comelot, Raquel Gold, Jin Ling and Gold Classic. And they sell for £3-£3.50, half the price of regular 20 packs making them attractive proposition. LIVERPOOL ECHO 30/05/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: April 2011

Fakers cash in on success of Potters WEMBLEY-BOUND Stoke City fans are being warned to beware of fake merchandise. The warning comes as trading standards investigators seized counterfeit FA Cup semi-final memorabilia. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 01/04/2011 UK

Are supply chain secret agents the way to fight fakers? Fake products cost millions and can also cost lives. Changes in the supply chain have made life easier for counterfeiters, so the time is right to consider counter-measures. For some tourists a trip to the Far East wouldn’t be complete without picking up a fake Rolex or dodgy copy of the King’s Speech, but for industry, counterfeiting is a scourge cutting into revenue, destroying reputations and in some cases putting lives at risk. Counterfeiting is a major criminal enterprise that costs the world economy some 465m euro last year and destroying 2.5 million legitimate jobs through lost sales to counterfeiters, according to the International Chamber of Commerce. It expects the cost of counterfeit products is lost revenue, lost taxes and police time to double by 2015. LOGISTICS MANAGER 01/04/2011 UK

Crack down on counterfeit whisky Experts at the University of Leicester’s Space Research Centre are working with colleagues at De Montfort University to create a handheld device, which will detect fake whisky and wine through the bottle. The exciting research project is being supported by the Food and Drink iNet. The technology has already been developed by the University of Leicester to spot counterfeit medicines by scrutinising the packaging. Now experts are working to transfer the technology to analyse liquids in a bottle. As well as helping to stamp out the big problem of counterfeit whisky and fine wine, this could also have major potential for airline security systems, they believe. METROPOLITAN LIFE 01/04/2011 UK

Using X-ray to crack counterfeit One estimate values the worldwide market for counterfeit electronics at up to $10 billion annually and names China, particularly the Shenzhen area, as the source of approximately 70% of those counterfeits. “Since the counterfeit parts mix openly with other products, it doesn’t take long for them to slip into the inventory of even reputable firms”, explained Steve Zweig, VP of sales for Glenbrook Technologies. And many assemblers look for the lowest bids, even for critical applications such as military or commercial aircraft. It is in just such instances that counterfeit parts can be introduced into the supply chain. ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURE & TEST 01/04/2011 UK

Faking it A survey that questioned 1000 consumers found nearly a third thought counterfeit goods tarnish the reputation of brands. The survey was carried out by Ingenia Technology, which develops products and solutions for brand protection, authentication and track and trace applications. PACKAGING SCOTLAND 01/04/2011 UK

Crime crackdown PROPOSED legislation to tackle the manufacture of counterfeit medicines is expected to strike a blow against criminals involved in the trade. The European Parliament’s decision to adopt the Falsified Medicines Directive was welcome by trade bodies convinced it will seize the initiative in the battle to thwart the production of counterfeit goods. The directive, which was adopted in February, promotes the latest anti- counterfeiting safety features as well as encouraging greater vigilance of pharmaceutical packaging. (IHMA) also welcome the moves that will help to distinguish falsified medicinal products from other illegal products, as well as from infringements of intellectual property rights. PACKAGING SCOTLAND 01/04/2011

Council says it’s not in the market for fakes COUNCIL bosses have signed a pledge to keep dodgy traders out of Huddersfield's Market. The Real Deal charter is gained by local authorities and markets that vow to bar anyone found to be trading in counterfeit and other illegal products. It will apply to all the Huddersfield and district markets in the borough, including the town's Open Market off Brook Street. Chris Cotton, Kirklees markets manager, said: "We want people to be confident about shopping in our markets and getting what they paid for. Kirklees markets don't and won't PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

The International Press-Cutting Bureau prepares and supplies these reports to ACG via e-mail on subscription. ACG has received and provided this information in good faith, and is not responsible for any inaccuracies or errors www.ipcb.co.uk tolerate people muscling in with counterfeit gear and we will clamp down on anyone who tries to" HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 05/04/2011 UK

Market fakes seized More than 70 counterfeit goods worth more than £4,500 have been seized from a Walsall market after a swoop by police and council chiefs. Fake footwear and clothes were recovered during a raid on Bescot Market following a tip off. Household names were among the brands on display. The operation was led by Trading Standards officers, police and brand protection representatives. After an examination of the goods they were discovered to be counterfeit. The swoop at the market was carried out recently. It's estimated if the items had been genuine they would have generated more than £4,550. Council chiefs said they work alongside market operators LSD Promotions to rid Bescot Market of all counterfeit products. WALSALL CHRONICLE 07/04/2011 UK

Councillor charge AN ENFIELD councillor has reappeared in court accused of selling counterfeit alcohol from his Ealing shop. Haselbury ward councillor Ali Bakir, 42, denies three counts in prosecution of bogus booz after trading standards officers allegedly seized bottles of fake Glen’s vodka from his West Ealing shop in November. Bakir, who was suspended by the Council’s Labour group, appeared at Ealing Magistrates Court on Monday. He returns on April 14 for committal. ENFIELD GAZETTE 07/04/2011 UK

£300k tobacco ring is busted MORE than £100,000 of counterfeit cigarettes have been seized in Burton in a police operation that netted a £300,000 haul. Detectives linked up with customs agents in raids at five addresses in the Anglesey suburb, which also yielded hundreds of kilos of black rolling tobacco. A quantity of cannabis wraps prepared ready for sale was recovered from one of the properties. Two men aged 23, and 25, were arrested in the swoops, part of the ongoing operation Enigma crackdown. HM Revenue and Customs spokesman Jenny Kendall said: Gangs behind this form of criminality reap huge profits which are ploughed straight back into the criminal underworld, feeding activities like drug dealing and fraud. BURTON MAIL 07/04/2011 UK

Warning on counterfeit cigarettes PEOPLE in the Bristol area are being warned of the dangers of buying illicit or counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco following a raid at a car boot sale in Bleadon, near Weston-Super Mare, last September. Two men were arrested as a result of the incident and bailed pending further investigations by trading standards. Paul James Mackay, of Midsomer Norton, appeared at North Somerset Magistrates Court on March 30, when he pleaded guilty to six offences. These were selling Richman cigarettes which had a tar content 39% in excess of the legal limit and which had a carbon monoxide content 45% in excess of the legal limit. In addition he sold Richman cigarettes which did not have the correct safety labelling such as written warning and yield statement in relation to the tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide levels. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 07/04/2011 UK

Fake label goods sold on market FAKE designer label goods on sale at a local market led to a man being charged at Hull Crown Court. Faisal Mahmood, 31, pleaded guilty at a hearing last Monday to dealing in counterfeit goods at Skirlington market on Sunday May 16 last year when Mahmood was found to be selling clothing falsely marketed with well known adidas, Fred Perry, Nike, Henri Lloyd, Lacoste and G-Star trade marks. BRIDLINGTON FREE PRESS 07/04/2011 UK

Four jailed in massive smuggling conspiracy A SUFFOLK man has been jailed for his part in a major international smuggling operation which had the potential to manufacture millions of pounds worth of tobacco. Fixer Robert Minshall was one of four men who received prison sentences at Norwich Crown Court after being arrested during raids involving 100 customs officers, including many based in Ipswich. The 68-year-year-old, of Falmouth Avenue, Newmarket, was imprisoned for two years and has been given a Serious Crime Prevention Order for five years. The gang was in the process of setting up an illegal counterfeit tobacco factory when HMRC, supported by police and Serious Organised Crimes Agency raided premises in Suffolk, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Essex.

Officers discovered more than sixteen tonnes of raw leaf tobacco on a farm in Leicestershire, which would have been manufactured into hand rolling tobacco. EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 07/04/2011 UK

Fake Jacob’s Creek found Fake bottles of the best-selling Australian wine have flooded into Britain, TSOs warned today. Hundreds of bottles of imitation Jacob’s Creek, which have made their way into off-licences across the country, have already been seized. The wine appears identical to the real thing; apart from a misspelling of Australia on the label - it is spelt "Austrlia". Trading standards officials say it is from China and it tastes terrible. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 06/04/2011 UK; DRINKS BUSINESS 01/04/2011 UK; OFF LICENCE NEWS [OLN] 01/04/2011 UK; SOUTH WALES ARGUS 01/04/2011 UK; EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS); SOUTH WALES ECHO 02/04/2011 UK; 06/04/2011 UK;SOUTH WALES ECHO 02/04/2011 UK; DAILY MAIL, THE 06/04/2011 UK; BRIGHTON ARGUS 06/04/2011 UK; DAILY RECORD (SCOTLAND) 07/04/2011 UK; SOUTH WALES ARGUS 07/04/2011 UK; ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 07/04/2011 UK; DAILY RECORD (SCOTLAND) 07/04/2011 UK; LIVERPOOL DAILY POST 07/04/2011 UK; DUNDEE EVENING TELEGRAPH 07/04/2011 UK; DUNDEE EVENING TELEGRAPH 07/04/2011 UK; LIVERPOOL DAILY POST 07/04/2011 UK; SOUTH WALES ECHO 07/04/2011 UK; SURREY MIRROR SERIES 14/04/2011 UK; NEWBURY ADVERTISER 14/04/2011 UK; STRATFORD & NEWHAM EXPRESS 25/04/2011 UK; HARROW TIMES 21/04/2011 UK; ELMBRIDGE GUARDIAN 21/04/2011 UK; GET READING 15/04/2011 UK

LICENCE SUSPENDED OVER DODGY VODKA COUNCILLORS have suspended the licence of a popular Huddersfield restaurant after police discovered dozens of bottles of counterfeit vodka. Kirklees Council's Licensing Panel yesterday slapped a three-month booze ban on Grappolo in Lockwood. However, the ban will not come into force until after owner Mr Hamid Mehrgan appeals against the decision at Huddersfield Magistrates' Court, which he has 21 days to do after receiving official notification of the ban. Councillors suspended the licence to serve alcohol after 36 bottles of counterfeit vodka were discovered at the Italian Restaurant. However, the three strong panel refused to consider evidence from West Yorkshire Trading Standards showing exactly what had been in the liquid serve to customers. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 08/04/2011 UK

Warning over risk of buying fake golf clubs THOUSANDS of golfers are being warned about the risks of buying counterfeit golf equipment. As this weekend's Scottish Golf Show 2011 gets under way at Glasgow's SECC, the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency will be at the event to highlight the dangers. Officers will be warning about the involvement of serous organised crime in the production and sale of fake accessories. Fake golf goods, including fake Titleist irons, fake Titleist Pro V1 golf balls and a fake Ping driver will be on display. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 09/04/2011 UK

Man jailed for massive counterfeit drugs scam A MAN was jailed for eight years yesterday for his involvement in the most serious fake scam ever seen in the European Union. Businessman Peter Gillespie, 64, of Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, was involved in an operation to import from China to the UK more than two million doses of counterfeit prescription drugs for conditions including prostate cancer, heart disease and schizophrenia. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 09/04/2011 UK

Man in court for selling fake car manuals A COMPANY director has admitted selling £30,000-worth of counterfeit car manuals on the internet. Lee Harris, aged 38, appeared at Nuneaton Magistrates Court on five charges against the Copyright Designs and Patents Act. In a case brought by Coventry CC, prosecutor Andrew Burton explained that Harris had been copying and selling workshop car manuals from his home in Penzance Way, Nuneaton. For almost three years he ran a small enterprise, which through his eBay account, made him a net profit of £30,350. This figure does not include any payments he may have received in cash or cheques. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 12/04/2011 UK

MAN SOLD FAKE GOODS AT ‘SHOP’ A MAN who admitted selling counterfeit goods worth £102,000 at a Stonehouse ‘shop’ will be sentenced next week. Andrew Pollard aged 45 of Carradale Road, Egg Buckland, pleaded guilty yesterday at Plymouth Crown Court. His 19-year old daughter Josie and his 16-year old son Josh, both of the same address, both pleaded guilty to a similar charge. At a previous hearing, city magistrates were told that police seized more than 1,000 counterfeit items with a street value of £102,000. The clothes, jewellery and perfume with false trade marks were on sale at the ‘shop unit’ in Wyndham Place on October 26 last year. The fake items included Prada jeans, Stone Island denim, Henri Lloyd T-shirts, Ugg boots, a Tiffany bracelet and Hugo Boss eau de toilette. PLYMOUTH HERALD 12/04/2011 UK

Fake condom seller to pay back £37k THE owner of a Birmingham firm prosecuted for attempting to flog fake products including condoms, toys and batteries has been ordered to pay back over £37,000 or go to jail. At a confiscation hearing at the city’s Crown Court, Judge Peter Carr ruled that Sandeep Arora had benefitted from a criminal lifestyle and that he must hand over £37,190. Arora was also ordered to pay £11,000 cost. The 35-year-old from Yeading, Middlesex was given six months to find the money or face a 16 month jail sentence. At a previous hearing Ben Mills, prosecuting, said trading standards seized 50,000 items from two outlets in Great Hampton Row, Hockley in January 2008. Twenty thousand of them were found to be fake and they included a large quantity of counterfeit sunglasses, stickers, toys and Durex condoms. BIRMINGHAM MAIL 13/04/2011 UK eBay trader ignored counterfeit warning A FATHER OF ONE has been ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work after selling thousands of pounds worth of goods bearing fake trademarks on eBay. Muzaffar Hanif offered customers the choice of putting hundreds of different logos on vehicle number plates or stickers, Stoke on Trent Crown Court heard yesterday. The 31-year-old was caught in the test purchase sting in December with a plate bearing the badge of West Ham Utd FC, despite not having permission to use the emblem. He was also found to be using Ford trademarks without the manufacturer’s permission. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 14/04/2011

Fugitive trader faces payment order and jail A WANTED trader who sold clothes with forged labels and is on the run has been ordered to pay more than £250,000. Swee Teong Chew, 43, is being hunted by Brent and Harrow TS after officers discovered he was selling counterfeit clothing and fashion accessories at his shop in Oriental City, in Edgware Road, Colindale. Mr Chew was originally sentenced in May last year to three years in jail for conspiring to commit trade mark offences but he went on the run before being sentenced and is still wanted. A confiscation order was made in his absence at Blackfriars Crown Court on March 24 for £269,815, which he must pay back within six months. If he does not pay the amount in full, interest will be added to the outstanding balance. He will at some stage have to face the consequences of his actions by not only having to serve his prison sentence, but also repaying his ill-gotten gains. WEMBLEY OBSERVER 14/04/2011 UK

Our ‘must have’ desire for the latest designer items CLEARLY it’s very easy to produce, market and sell counterfeit goods. Today we read how a trader at a local car boot sale was issued with a formal warning, after selling imitation Pandora jewellery. This is against the law and rightly angers those who are trying to make an honest living in our local area which is hard enough in these difficult economic times. It’s the same with fake CDs, black market videos and cigarettes. The latter though, could well be more serious as a person’s health could be affected if they take the risk and puff away at a packet of 20 they may have picked up from a market stall! It’s also extremely hard to believe that the buyers who purchase such goods have no inclination that they are not the ‘real deal’!! It can be assumed that the majority of buyers do indeed know, they simply turn a blind eye. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 14/04/2011 UK

Fake jewellery alert CAR boot and market customers are being warned to beware of buying fake goods after a trader was caught selling imitation Pandora jewellery. Following a complaint from another trader, the female Pandora seller was given a formal warning by trading standards officers. She was caught selling the counterfeit jewellery at Oaklands car boot sale. Officers immediately seized the jewellery. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 14/04/2011/25/04/2011 PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

End to ‘Handbag lady’ counterfeit operation A TRADER has been banned from working at any markets or attending any car boot sales in the country for selling counterfeit goods. Barbara Hubbard, 47, was found to have more than 2,330 counterfeit designer goods after being caught selling items at the Bonzer fair Romford. Trading standards officers from Havering Council visited her stall on two different days and bought branded items including a Tiffany money clip and a Cartier watch. A week after the second purchase council officers returned and seized all items on display, in addition to those stored in the defendant’s van. Later that day officers searched the defendant’s home in Antill Road, Bow and they found a lounge full of counterfeit goods imitating Chanel, Gucci, Ugg, Rolex, GHD, Louis Vuitton, DKNY and Christian Dior. EAST LONDON ENQUIRER 14/04/2011 UK; ESSEX ENQUIRER 14/04/2011 UK; ROMFORD RECORDER 15/04/2011 UK

Wanted trader ordered to pay back 270,000 A TRADER who on run to avoid jail for selling fake goods has been ordered to pay back 270,000 under the proceeds of Crime Act. Swee Teong Chhew, 43, was sentenced to three years in prison last may after Islington Council`s trading standards team seized counterfeit designer jeans, handbags and sunglasses from stores units in Holloway Road, Holloway. He skipped bail prior to sentencing and is currently on the polixce wanted list but this weekend Blackfriars Crown Court he was gives confiscation order. Chew will have to pay 269,815 in full within six month. Chew, of Wylde Place, Palmers Green, has a number of aliases including Richard Yang and Robert Chew. Councillor Paul Smith, Islington Council`s executive member for environment said: We don`t want shoppers to be ripped off by scams merchants. This ruling comes after hard work by the council`s trading standards team and sends a clear message traders in fake goods risks jail and the loss of their loot. ISLINGTON GAZETTE 14/04/2011 UK

Forgers let down by spelling Illiterate forgers made a glaring spelling mistake on their counterfeit bottles of Jacob`s Creek on sale in Surrey and London. The con men misspelt ``Australia`` on the labels of the fake grog, so the label read ``Wine of Austrlia``. And perhaps even more importantly, as well as the spelling error a spokesman for trading standards said: There was another sign the wine was fake its foul taste. Over the past month, trading standards officers in Surrey have already seized 20 bottles of the counterfeit wine, which has been on sale in shops for as little as 2. Hundreds more bottles, thought to have originated from Asia, have also been found in London Reading and Brighton. Drinkers are now being urged to look out for fake bottles, but it is not believed the wine is harmful to drink. SURREY COMET 15/04/2011 UK

Fake drugs man jailed A WINDSOR fraudster, who masterminded Europe's biggest ever fake-medicine scandal, has been jailed for eight years. Chartered accountant Peter Gillespie, 65, of Carey close, imported fake Chinese manufactured drugs via Singapore and Brussels with 100,000 doses ending up in patient’s hands. "They were high-value drugs that were in big demand for serious illnesses. Stephen Waller told the defendant as he sentenced him of Friday. "They were very good counterfeits, the packing looked just like the real thing." The charges relate to 'Casodex', used to treat advanced prostate cancer, 'Plavix', prescribed to prevent blood clots and heat attacks for angina patients and 'Zyprexa' an antipsychotic prescribed to schizophrenic and bipolar patients. Medicine watchdogs ordered a Class One recall of all suspected drugs taken by heart and cancer patients and the mentally ill resulting in shelves being cleared in pharmacies all over the country and half of the 73,000 fake packs recalled. ROYAL BOROUGH OBSERVER 15/04/2011 UK

Four arrested in counterfeit goods raid on taxi firm A TAXI driver was raided by detectives leading a major counterfeit goods and money laundering investigation. Four men were arrested at Alpha Cars, in High Street, Swadlincote, on suspicion of handling stolesen goods and money laundering. Police seized £2,000 in cash under the proceeds Act as well as property. Despite repeated attempts by the mail, no-one from ALPHA Cars was available for comment. The swoop was made as part of Derbyshire police’s operation Lurcher, a county-wide crackdown on dodgy traders and stolen merchandise. The initiative aims to make it as difficult as possible for criminals as possible PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

The International Press-Cutting Bureau prepares and supplies these reports to ACG via e-mail on subscription. ACG has received and provided this information in good faith, and is not responsible for any inaccuracies or errors www.ipcb.co.uk for criminal to trade stolen goods by squeezing the market. The men were quizzed by detectives and bailed pending further enquirers. BURTON MAIL 15/04/2011 UK

Police arrest 33 people and recover cash ... POLICE have arrested 33 people and seized £36,000 in a crackdown on stolen goods in Derby. Officers have now raided 42 addresses, including 18 business, and recovered mobile phones, laptops, purses, counterfeit alcohol and cigarettes. DERBY TELEGRAPH 16/04/2011 UK

Smugglers sent down A GANG of four midland men who tried to smuggle over three million counterfeit cigarettes into the country has been jailed. The counterfeit cigarettes would have resulted in a £500,000 tax dodge, and "flooded" the West Midlands with the fags, Revenue and Customs officials said. HMRC officers discovered the fakes being shipped from Belgium. They are now pursuing a confiscation order against the four smugglers. BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY MERCURY 17/04/2011 UK

Beware of car boot bargains BARGAIN hunters visiting car boots during the Easter break are being urged to keep an eye out for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes and alcohol. HMRC chiefs are sending out the message to residents in Nuneaton, Bedworth, N. Warwickshire and the rest of the county. Expertly crafted packaging makes it more impossible to spot whether ‘bargain priced’ tobacco and alcohol products are counterfeit and there is no guarantee of the quality. With the warmer weather and the arrival of the Easter break people are being asked to stay extra vigilant and not buy cut price products. NUNEATON NEWS 18/04/2011 UK; BURTON MAIL 18/04/2011 UK; CAMBRIDGE NEWS 20/04/2011 UK; PLYMOUTH HERALD 22/04/2011 UK; DUNDEE COURIER & ADVERTISER (SERIES) 22/04/2011 UK; HALIFAX COURIER (SERIES) 26/04/2011 UK Jury will decide on bootleg case AN ENFIELD councillor will appear in court next week accused of selling bootleg alcohol from his shop in Ealing. Councillor Ali Bakir denied three counts of possession of counterfeit goods at Ealing Magistrates Court, in February, and asked for the case to be heard by a crown court jury. He was arrested last November on suspicion of selling fake Glenn's vodka from his store in West Ealing. The 42-year-old, who represents Haselbury ward on Enfield Council, is due to appear on Thursday, April 14 for a committal hearing. He is currently suspended by the Labour group pending the outcome of the criminal prosecution. ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 19/04/2011 UK

Trader who sold fakes has his jail term halved An East London market trader who was jailed for selling counterfeit designer jewellery has had his sentence halved by appealed judges. Park ShingLam, 47, of Churchill Road, Canning Town, was caught in August 2007 with dozens of fake items at Surrey Quays shopping Centre, in Canada Water. Of forty items actually tested trading standards officers found 36 to be counterfeit, bearing the names of designer brands such as Chanel, Tiffany and Louis Vuitton. In February of this year after he had earlier been convicted of nine counts of unauthorised use of trademark, he was jailed for eight months at Inner London Crown Court. But today, following an appeal by his lawyers, three senior judges slashed his "manifestly excessive" prison sentence for four months at the Court of Appeal. Judge Nicholas Cooke QC, sitting with Lord Justice Pitchford, and Mr Justice Wilkie, said: Trade marks holders needed to be protected by the law, but Lam`s case was not the most serious of its kind. NEWHAM RECORDER 20/04/2011 UK

Keep an eye out for fake goods at car boot sales BARGAIN hunters are being urged to watch out for traders selling illegal alcohol and cigarettes at Easter car boot sales. It almost impossible to spot weather cheap tobacco and alcohol products are counterfeit because of expertly copied packaging. according to HM Revenue and Customs. Spokesman Stuart Crookshank said: "Low cost tobacco and alcohol products can often seem very attractive to people who believe they are buying genuine products at a knock-down price. "Those involved are not concerned if they are selling to children underage young people and the illicit trade has a devastating impact on legitimated retailers and the local community" GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 20/04/2011 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Warning on fake ciggies VISITORS to Easter car boot sales in Staffordshire are being urged by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to be on the look out for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes and alcohol at what may appear to be bargain prices. Expertly Crafted packaging makes it almost impossible to spot whether such products are counterfeit. But all of the large cigarettes HMRC made last year cigarette seizures HMRC made last yea, around half were counterfeit. They are not genuine cigarettes brought back from holiday, but were probably made in back street or underground factories across the world and they manufacturers and sale is unlicensed and unregulated. Stuart Crookshank, assistance director for HRMC, SAID: "Low cost tobacco and alcohol can seem very attractive to people who believe they are buying genuine products LEEK POST & TIMES 20/04/2011 UK

JAIL FOR FANTASY FRAUD AN internet fraudster who created an elaborated world of fictional characters has been given a two years and eight months prison sentence. Anthony Popoola, 49, coned his victims by pretending that his business, Histanos (UK) Ltd had assets totalling $10,000,000. In fact it was a one man operation being run from his two bedroom flat in Gosfield Road, Dagenham. He conned a West Londoner out of 9,045 by tricking him into believing that he could deliver 500 computer monitors to Kenya. He also sold fake Omega watches as genuine for hundreds of pounds via the internet. His website carried the Olympic and claimed he was an official partner of the 2012 London Games. This untrue and is an offence under consumer protection regulations. He also falsely claimed that he was selling Olympic tickets. He was caught after an investigation by Barking and Dagenham Council's trading standards team. The London Olympic Organising Committee was also involved because of the abuse of the Olympic logo. EAST LONDON ENQUIRER 21/04/2011 UK

Crackdown on `bargain` cigarettes CUSTOMS officers are planning checks on Easter car boot sales across West Yorkshire. They are on the lookout for counterfeit goods and had appealed for the public`s help. They believe dodgy traders may be selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes and alcohol at what may appear to be `bargain prices` HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 21/04/2011 UK

Fake mistake SURREY: Illiterate forgers who misspelt labels on knock down bottled of wine have sparked trading standards. Twenty bottles of bogus Jacob`s Creek wine were seized in Surrey over the past month with labels saying the drink was a "Wine of Austrlia" rather than Australia. Test had shown it is not a health hazard, but drinkers are urged not to buy it despite the bargain price of as little as 2 a bottle. LEATHERHEAD ADVERTISER 21/04/2011 UK

Counterfeit `Austrlia`wine seized Fake bottles of Jacob`s Creek wine have been seized form shop in Brent. At one shop, trading standards officers confiscated 250 bottles. Evidence shows that London has been flooded with the dodgy booze. Consumers can spot a fake as Australia is misspelt as Austrlia on the label. Some consumers have noticed the difference in taste, although test has revealed that the fake Jacob`s Creek wine is not harmful to health. Bill Bilon, head of Brent and Harrow Trading Standards said: ``Traders should only buy legitimated from sources and advise them to check their stock carefully for any fake bottles. Traders are responsible for the goods they sell. `` KILBURN TIMES 21/04/2011 UK

Fake Olympic goods seized at boot sale TRADING standards officers have seized fake Olympic goods from car boot sale in Coventry. Cigarette lighters displaying the iconic Olympic five interlocking rings and ‘London 2012’ logo were discovered as part of a regular inspection at city car boot sales. Although only a small number were found, officers believe they are part of a larger consignment and steps are now being taken to trace the supplies to these lighters. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 22/04/2011 UK

Fake goods are seized POLICE have seized over £10,000 worth of fake merchandise in an operation outside LG Arena. Officers from the Marston Green and NEC neighbourhood team confronted the bootleggers on Saturday. Traders had travelled from as afield as Dublin, Manchester and Leeds to sell counterfeit World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) items. SOLIHULL NEWS 22/04/2011 UK

Bar owner fined over fake gin scam A TAPAS bar owner who tried to pour fake gin down the drain to avoid prosecution has been fined. West Sussex Trading Standards officers visited the Sen Mediterranean Tapas Bar, in Suddley Road, Bognor, which is owned by Mustafa Sen, in July and began checking optics to ensure they did not contain cheaper substitute spirits. The test on the Gordon’s gin came back negative and as an officer started to secure the evidence, Sen, of The Paddock South Bersted, near Bognor, grabbed the bottle and attempted to pour the contents down the sink before running off. He was fined £233, ordered to pay £589 cost and a victim surcharge of £15. BRIGHTON ARGUS 23/04/2011 UK

Fake trade warning TRADING standards officers are reminding car boot sale customers to be aware of imitation jewellery. The warning comes after a female trade was caught selling fake Pandora bracelets in Grimsby. As reported, the woman was selling the bracelets for just 4 individual beads are usually 40. John Seale, head of public protection at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: "Fake goods are cheap, low quality imitations and those who profit from them damage the business of popular brands and legitimated traders." GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 25/04/2011 UK

Car boot caution EASTER car boot sale visitors are being urged by HM Revenue and Customs to look out for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes and alcohol at seemingly `bargain prices` YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 25/04/2011 UK

Shops stock contraband A MAJOR swoop on businesses in Peterborough has resulted in thousands of contraband cigarettes and litres of illicit alcohol being taken off the streets. A high-profile, two-day operation has resulted in the seizure of 32,000 cigarettes some containing anything from rat droppings to high levels of arsenic. More than 4,220 litres of alcohol including wine, beer, cider and vodka some of which had been made with a mix of methanol a chemical used to make antifreeze were also seized from Peterborough shops. The crackdown took place on Tuesday and Wednesday last week and was part of a joint initiative by HMRC, Cambridgeshire Police and Peterborough City Council’s trading standards officers. More than fifty retail, business and domestic premises were raided across the city. PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH 26/04/2011 UK

Fakes worth millions are seized in swoops MILLIONS of pounds worth of fake DVDs, cigarettes, alcohol, and toys have been seized during trading standards swoops in Sandwell in the last year. Fake iPhones, designer label clothes and alloy wheels were found amongst goods which were worth about £2.5million in lost money to the industries involved, more than twice last year’s £1 million haul. The latest haul saw 75,000 cigarettes, 25kg of tobacco, 652 litres of wine and 111 bottles of vodka. Officers also confiscated 6,500 games, DVDs, 300 toys, 600 fake designer dresses and 40 modified Xbox consoles. The growth of the internet has posed a greater challenge for officers as crooked traders try to remain ‘invisible’ to the authorities. However, forensic analysis of seized computers and more sophisticated surveillance has helped the clampdown on dodgy traders. SANDWELL & GREAT BARR CHRONICLE 28/04/2011 UK

MARKET RAIDED FOR FAKE GOODS THOUSANDS of counterfeit DVDs worth about £100,000 have been seized by police and trading standards officers who were also assisted by HMRC when they raided a bank holiday market on private land at PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Sturbridge just outside Eccleshall. They seized a total of 12,000 counterfeit DVDs, which were being sold for £2 each, along with 12 kilos tobacco and 4,500 cigarettes. Eleven arrests were made. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 28/04/2011 UK

Trader ordered to hand over all his 60,000 assets A WALLESBOURNE market trader caught with a stash of counterfeit clothes hiding behind a ‘wall of jeans’ in his van, has been ordered to hand over assets of £60,000 and a judge at Warwick Crown Court ordered that Irfan Khan, who also has to pay £5,000 costs, should be jailed for 15 months if the money is not paid within six months. An investigation into Kahn’s finances was launched after he was sentenced at the court in May last year for five charges of possessing goods with signs likely to be mistaken for registered trademarks. STRATFORD-UPON-AVON HERALD 28/04/2011 UK

Fakes worth millions are seized in swoops MILLIONS of pounds worth of fake DVDs, cigarettes, alcohol, and toys have been seized during trading standards swoops in Sandwell in the last year. Fake iPhones, designer label clothes and alloy wheels were found amongst goods were worth about 2.5million in lost money to the industries involved more that twice last year 1 million haul. The latest haul sow 75,000 cigarettes, 25kg of tobacco, 652 litres of wine and 111 bottles of vodka seized. Officers also confiscated 6,500 games, DVDs, 300 toys, 600 fake designer dresses and 40 modified Xbox consoles. The growth of the internet has posed a greater challenged for officer as crooked traders try to remain ``invisible`` to the authorities. However, forensic analysis of seized computers and more sophisticated surveillance has helped the clampdown on dodgy traders. The borough`s deputy trading standards manager Bob Charnley said: ``It's a constantly evolving battle of wits as rogues adapt themselves. SANDWELL & GREAT BARR CHRONICLE 28/04/2011 UK

MARKET RAIDED FOR FAKE GOODS THOUSANDS of counterfeit DVDs worth about 100,000 have been seized by police and trading standards officers. Officers who were also assisted by HM Revenue and Customs raided a bank holiday market on private land at Sturbridge just outside Eccleshall. They seized a total of 12,000 counterfeit DVDs, which were being sold for 2 each, along with 12 kilos tobacco and 4,500 cigarettes. Eleven arrests were made. Councillor Pat Corfield, Staffordshire County Council`s cabinet member for culture, communities and customers, said: ``This was great result and shows the county council and our colleagues at the police and HM Customers will not tolerate the sale of illegal goods. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 28/04/2011 UK

Trader ordered to hand over all his 60,000 assets A WALLESBOURNE market trader caught with a stash of counterfeit clothes hiding behind a ``wall of jeans`` in his van, has been ordered to hand over assets of 60,000. And a judge a Warwick Crown Court ordered that Irfan Khan, who also has to pay 5,000 costs, should be jailed for 15 months if the money is not pay within six months. An investigation into Khan`s finances was launched after he was sentenced at the court in May last year for five charges of possessing goods with signs likely to be mistaken for registered trademarks. An a following last-minute discussions at the court Paul Rooney, prosecuting on behalf of Warwickshire Trading Standards, said a dispute over the figures had been resolved. He said it was agreed Khan`s benefit from his illegal activities was a total of 285,132.16-but his available assets totalled 60,000. STRATFORD-UPON-AVON HERALD 28/04/2011 UK

Fake cigarettes and booze found in raids A MAJOR swoop on businesses in Peterborough has resulted in thousands of contraband cigarettes and litres of illicit alcohol taken off the streets. A high-profile, two day operation in the city to clamp down on illicit tobacco has resulted in the seizure of 32,000 cigarettes-some containing anything from rat droppings to high-levels of arsenic. More than 2,220 litres of alcohol including wine, beer, cider and vodka some of which have been made with a mix of methanol a chemical used to make antifrizze were also seized form Peterborough shops. The crackdown took place on Tuesday and Wednesday last week and was part of a joint initiative by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Cambridgeshire Police and Peterborough City Council`s Trading

The International Press-Cutting Bureau prepares and supplies these reports to ACG via e-mail on subscription. ACG has received and provided this information in good faith, and is not responsible for any inaccuracies or errors www.ipcb.co.uk standards officers. More than fifty retail, business and domestic premises were raided across the city. They seized contraband, representing a total tax loss to the government of 20,000, from 26 of the properties. Many of the products were real brands which had been smuggled into the country without tax and duty being paid. PETERBOROUGH CITIZEN 28/04/2011 UK

Man jailed as cigarette scam goes up in smoke AN ELMDON man has been jailed for his part in a separate smuggling operation, which sold three million counterfeit cigarettes shipped into the region of Belgium. Robert Stephen Orton, of Walford Drive, Solihull, was sentenced to ten months in prison at Birmingham Crown Court. Orton, a father-of-one, had worked in the motor trade and, more recently, the music industry, prior to his arrest. The 46-years-old`s three accomplices, form Nottinghamshire, were also jailed. A confiscation order was being pursued against the defendants. HM Revenue and Custom said: The gang hid their consignment of fake Regal Kingsize in sealed glass units as they shipped them into Britain. Officers found them during a raid at commercial unit at Hales Industrial Estate in Coventry in April 2007. If they had hit the streets they would have cost the public purse 500.000 in unpaid revenue. SOLIHULL NEWS 29/04/2011 UK

Customs officers crack down on illegal trade SMOKERS in North East Lincolnshire are being warned to beware of counterfeit cigarettes being sold at car boot sales. The warning comes from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which is urging car boot buyers to be on the look-out for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes and alcohol at what appear to be bargain prices. Stuart Crookshank, assistance director at HMRC, said: ``Low-cost tobacco and alcohol products can often seem very attractive to people who believe they are buying genuine products at a knock down price. ``Those involve are not concerned if they are selling to children underage young and the illicit trade has devastating impact on legitimated retailers and the local community. ``We all pay extra to compensate for the money these criminals steal with the economic challenges being face by business and the public, our focus must remain relentless to deter and disrupt the illegal trade.`` GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 29/04/2011 UK TWO men have been jailed for trying to smuggled more than three SOUTH WALES ARGUS 29/04/2011 UK

Man jailed as cigarette scam goes up in smoke AN ELMDON man has been jailed for his part in a separate smuggling operation, which sold three million counterfeit cigarettes shipped into the region of Belgium. Robert Stephen Orton, of Walford Drive, Solihull, was sentenced to ten months in prison at Birmingham Crown Court. Orton, a father-of-one, had worked in the motor trade and, more recently, the music industry, prior to his arrest. The 46-years-old’s three accomplices, from Nottinghamshire, were also jailed. A confiscation order was being pursued against the defendants. HMRC said: The gang hid their consignment of fake Regal Kingsize in sealed glass units as they shipped them into Britain. Officers found them during a raid at a commercial unit at Hales Industrial Estate in Coventry in April 2007. If they had hit the streets they would have cost the public purse £500.000 in unpaid revenue. SOLIHULL NEWS 29/04/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: March 2011

Retailers urged to stick to trusted suppliers Spot checks carried out by Trading Standards officials late last year in the South West revealed that 26% of outlets had counterfeit products on their shelves, while in Manchester 17% were offering fake stock. FORECOURT TRADER 01/03/2011 UK

Combating IP theft Whilst new security technologies and solutions will make life increasingly difficult for counterfeiters over the next five years, research conducted by ECSN indicates that the organisation will continued to try to defeat the extended manufacturer's lead-times for the foreseeable future by sourcing electronic components from dubious, particularly Asian-sources. ECSN joins with other international electronic component trade bodies in urging customers to only purchase components direct from the manufacturer's authorised distributor or an established and trustworthy local source. COMPONENTS IN ELECTRONICS 01/03/11 UK

Jailed for selling fake fags A shopkeeper who netted almost £300,000 by selling illicit cigarettes from his rundown store has been jailed for eight months. CROYDON GUARDIAN 02/03/2011 UK

Market trader guilty of selling fake trainers A market trader has been found guilty of selling fake trainers. Mostapha Safi, 39, was found guilty of selling counterfeit Nike trainers at Bovingdon Market. BERKHAMSTED & TRING GAZETTE 02/03/2011 UK

Warning over counterfeit clothes New research reveals the Scottish shoppers are "faking it" more than ever before - with a staggering 30% of them freely admitting to buying copycat clothes and accessories. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 05/03/2011

Trader caught selling fakes A TRADER at Wembley Market has been sentenced for selling fake sportswear to his customers. Sajjad Ghaffar, 42, was snared after officers from Brent and Harrow TS teamed up with police to raid his stall in September last year. Brent magistrates heard that 2,142 items bearing well-known names including Ben Sherman, adidas, Superdry and Lyle&Scott were seized from his stall along with £1,256 in cash. If genuine they would have been worth more than £120,000. Ghaffar, from E. London admitted 11 offences under the TM Act and a further two relating to another stall he has. The trader admitted that he knew the goods were counterfeit but he 'needed the money'. KILBURN TIMES 10/3/11 UK

Pensioner in Court facing cigarette fraud charge A PENSIONER who admitted a £5,000 plus tobacco fraud has been warned he could face jail. Ian Fitton 67, pleaded guilty to fraudulently evading paying any duty on a large stash of cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco before Wigan Magistrates' Court. The court also heard how Fitton, of Maple Crescent, Leigh, had previously been convicted of selling cigarettes to children through a window in his house. Prosecutors told how officers from HMRC and trading standards searched the defendant's house on August 11 last year. Officers discovered a large stash of counterfeit cigarettes many of which were not even known to be available on the European market and hand-rolling tobacco. The defendant initially said he had bought the goods from "a friend" for his own personal use but in a subsequent police interviews, he offered no comment to all questions. LEIGH REPORTER 10/03/11 UK

Fake goods find Illicit cigarettes, hand rolling tobacco and counterfeit DVDs have been seized from a Cannock car boot sale. HMRC joined forces with Staffs Police, TS officers and FACT on the March 6 raid. HMRC officers seized 12,000 cigarettes, 10 kilos of hand rolling tobacco and a BMW car. CANNOCK CHASE POST 10/3/11 UK

Huge haul of fake goods found on sale at market Counterfeit goods worth £200,000 have been seized from Donington Market. TS and Police seized adidas, Ralph Lauren and G Star goods from one stall, while copied DVDs were were found at another. One of the six people arrested was found to be an illegal immigrant. Investigations are continuing into five other people, who have been released on bail, pending further inquirers. Police said they had recently received complaints and intelligence that counterfeit goods were being sold. DERBY TELEGRAPH 10/3/11 UK

Fakes trader told to repay £12,000 A trader who sold fake Nike trainers at a market at Filton Leisure Centre has been ordered to hand over nearly £12,000 after a Bristol Crown Court confiscation hearing. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 11/03/2011 UK

Counterfeit cigarettes haul uncovered in raid TRADING standards officers have swooped on four businesses in Northampton, seizing more than 45,000 counterfeit cigarettes thought to have been illegally smuggled into the country. Officers from Northants CC TS team seized a total of 2,316 packs of 20 cigarettes during raids on Wednesday. During one of the raids, more than 1,900 packs were seized after they were found hidden under floorboards in a store room. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 11/03/11 Country: UK

Trader fake goods must pay up A TRADER who sold fake football shirts, designer gear and computer games has been ordered to hand over £60,000 made from his illegal business. Kane Goodman, of Wainbridge Crescent, Pilning, was jailed for 18 months in July last year after pleading guilty at Bristol Crown Court to 17 charges of selling counterfeit goods and possessing fake items for sale. The 36-years-old admitted one charge under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. He was brought back to the court for a confiscation hearing in which a judge was told he had made £60,000 from selling pirate goods. The case stemmed from a raid on Goodman's home in 2008 in which TS officers uncovered counterfeit clothing, games and DVDs. The 153 items of fake clothing included football shirts and imitations designer brands such as Paul Smith and Lacoste. There were fake Chanel handbags and Tiffany jewellery, 411 pirated films on DVD and 757 copied games for the Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation consoles. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 15/03/11 UK

Woman cleared of counterfeit goods charges A WOMAN has been cleared of having counterfeit designer clothes and perfume for sale. Michelle Silver, aged 23, faced 11 separate charges of possessing goods with false trade marks for sale last year. Silver, of Federation Road in Laira, Plymouth had indicated 'no plea' on the charges. Plymouth Magistrates Court discharged the allegations. It comes after 32-year-old John Stirling, of the same address, admitted a string of similar charges. He was given a suspended prison sentence. PLYMOUTH HERALD 16/03/11 UK

Fake jewellery seized Fake jewellery worth £100,000 has been seized by trading standards. On March 9 officers raided a jewellery shop in Globe Town after tip-offs from the brand owners. Imitations were found to include popular luxury brands including Tiffany & Co, Bulgari, Chanel, Links of London, Gucci and Cartier. EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 17/03/11 UK

Fake goods on market SELLING phoney designer brands of jewellery and clothing led to a market trader having to pay more than £32,500. Gary Mark Holmes, 42, pleaded guilty to dealing in counterfeit goods on Skirlington market near Skipsea when he appeared at Beverley Magistrates Court last Wednesday. The prosecution by East Riding of Yorkshire Council followed an extensive operation mounted by its trading standards services to eradicate the sale of illegal goods on the market. BRIDLINGTON FREE PRESS 17/03/11 UK; HOLDERNESS & HORNSEA GAZETTE 17/03/11 UK

Hefty fine for market counterfeit dealer A man has been ordered to pay more than £2,500 after pleading guilty to dealing in counterfeit goods at Skirlington Market. The prosecution followed an intensive operation mounted by the trading standards service of East Riding of Yorkshire Council to eradicate the sale of illegal goods on the market. Colin Briggs, PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

The International Press-Cutting Bureau prepares and supplies these reports to ACG via e-mail on subscription. ACG has received and provided this information in good faith, and is not responsible for any inaccuracies or errors www.ipcb.co.uk trading standards services manager said "This prosecution sends out a clear message that the trading standards service will not tolerate the sale of counterfeit goods on local markets. Legitimate businesses who trade legally find it extremely difficult to compete with those that insist on breaking the law. We will do all we can to ensure those traders that trade properly can prosper." HOLDERNESS & HORNSEA GAZETTE 17/03/2011 UK

Police unearth £1m haul of fake drugs AN "Aladdin's cave" of fake medicines worth more than £1million was discovered in a raid on four properties last Wednesday. More than 300,000 counterfeit pills, including fake Viagra, were discovered by officers at three homes and a secured storage unit in North and East London. Three men have been arrested as part of the operation which targeted a gang with eastern European connections, which is thought to have supplied a vast amount of counterfeit drugs to people across Europe and beyond. The medication is alleged to have originally come from eastern Asia, and is linked to illegal online pharmacies which sell prescription-only medication. The raid was carried out by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, assisted by officers from Bush Hill Park Safer Neighbourhood team. ENFIELD GAZETTE 17/03/11 UK

Counterfeit boss to repay a record 5.5m Birmingham City Council has secured its biggest ever POCA award after a crooked company boss was ordered to repay almost £5.5 million. Banti Sohal, aged 41, formerly of Bernard Road, Edgbaston, was jailed for 3.5 years in April last year after admitting 17 charges under the Trades Mark Act. He was charged after TS officers made their biggest ever haul of counterfeit clothing in the West Midlands. They raided a warehouse in Smethwick in November 2008 where they discovered around 100,000 items of fake Nike, Timberland, Fred Perry, Rhino and Henri Lloyd clothing. Had the clothing been genuine it would have been worth up to £9 million but the estimated street value was £6 million. BIRMINGHAM POST 24/03/2011 UK

Knock-off goods go to new home THOUSANDS of pounds worth of seized counterfeit goods has been donated to a homeless shelter in Northampton. The boxes of fake designer clothes were branded and delivered to the Hope Centre in Ash Street yesterday by Northamptonshire Standards County Council's Trading Standards and national Aid charity His Church. The two teamed up around two years ago to ensure illegal clothes were not simply destroyed and sent to landfill, instead they are recycled and distributed to homeless and underprivileged people across the country by the charity. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 24/03/2011 UK; NORTHANTS EVENING TELEGRAPH 23/03/2011 UK

Trader ordered to pay £350,000 A COUNTERFEIT trader who lived a lavish lifestyle and built up a property empire despite declaring no income has been ordered to pay back £350,000. Bipan Kumar Rajani gained £1.2 m from the sale of counterfeit toys and mortgage fraud, a hearing at Swansea Crown court heard. In 2008, Neath Port Talbot trading standards officers discovered counterfeit toys for sale. In December 2009, he was found guilty of ten offences. WESTERN MAIL SERIES 24/03/2011 UK

Trader sold fake Nike trainers A BOVINGDON market trader has been sentenced to 150 hours of community service for selling fake Nike trainers. Mostapha Safi, 39, of St Andrew Street, Acton appeared before Watford Magistrates Court on February 23. He was found guilty of six offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994, related to possessing for sale counterfeit Nike trainers at Bovingdon Market. On Monday, at Hemel Hempstead Magistrates Court, he was handed 159 hours of community service, ordered to pay £150 costs, a fine of £100 and a victim surcharge of £15. WATFORD OBSERVER 25/03/11 UK

FAKE CLOTHES BOSS MUST REPAY £5.3 million A CROOK serving time over a huge fake clothes scam has been ordered to repay £5.3 million of his ill- gotten gains. Banti Sohal, aged 41, formerly of Bernard Road, Edgbaston was jailed for three and a half years last April after trading standards officers found a £6 million haul of counterfeit designer clothes at a Smethwick warehouse. Now Birmingham City Council has secured it's biggest ever Proceeds of Crime Act award against Sohal, who also had a shop in city Road, Edgbaston. BIRMINGHAM MAIL 25/03/2011 UK

Man held in swoop on footy shirt fakes POLICE probing internet sales of fake football shirts swooped on a home in a leafy Leeds surburb. Detectives raided a detached house in King Lane, Chapel Allerton, yesterday as part of an investigation into counterfeit replicas sparked by sports wear manufacturer Umbro. Officers searched the house and took away shirts for detailed examination. A 22-year old man was arrested. The investigation began in December after Umbro became suspicious about goods for sale on e-Bay. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 25/03/2011

Hundreds of bottles of Jacobs up the creek Fake bottles of Jacob's Creek wine have been found on sale in London off licences. They contain inferior quality wine - although nothing hazardous - and are being offered to retailers for £2 each. They have been found on shelves for the same retail price as the genuine product and about 600 bottles have been found so far. Havering Council seized 340 bottles from 19 retailers. William Adams, its Chief TSO, said the illegal wine came from China and looked similar to the real product but has spelling mistakes in the small print. One example had the country of origin spelt Austria instead of Australia. DAILY TELEGRAPH 25/03/11 UK; MAIL ON SUNDAY, THE 27/03/2011 UK

SPAM BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH GOVERNMENT watchdogs have launched a campaign against the £50 billion illegal internet drugs trade. Around 25 per cent that's 156billion spam messages advertise illicit medicines and 7 per cent of people have admitted they buy drugs from the internet without a prescription. In a major investigation, the MHRA bought a variety of medicines from the internet and tested their content. This showed high amounts of active ingredients in drugs which could lead to overdose, while in other cases herbal medicines contained not natural herbs at all. None of the drugs purchased came with the legally required patient information leaflet which contains details of side effects and dosage. Some medicines came wrapped in tin foil, flouting the requirement for strictly controlled packaging. DAILY RECORD (SCOTLAND) 29/03/2011 UK

Fake bearings ‘a serious risk’ Counterfeit bearings seized earlier this month could have had devastating consequences had they been used, Luton engineering firm – SKF - says. On March 16, TS officers, accompanied by SKF officials, seized around a tonne of counterfeit bearings from a non-authorised SKF distributor in the UK. The Sundon Park company said the distributor, who has not been named, co-operated fully and said that a further 1.5 tonnes of various bearing types, purchased on the open market, were also being shipped to them. SKF bearings are used in everything from heavy machinery through to roller skates and washing machines. DUNSTABLE GAZETTE 30/03/2011 UK; LUTON NEWS 30/03/2011 UK

Market trader who sold fake clothes could lose assets A BUSINESSMAN who took part in a large-scale counterfeiting operation worth more than £20,000 faces being stripped of his assets. Faisal Mahmood, director of Zee Apparel Ltd, was caught in a police raid selling thousands of pounds worth of fake goods at Skirlington Market in Skipsea. Under the Proceeds of Crime Act he has had all the goods in has van seized. He could see more of his property seized when the court decides to what extent he benefited from his crime activity. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 30/03/2011 UK; HOLDERNESS & HORNSEA GAZETTE 31/03/2011 UK

Bowl booter counts cost of selling fakes A CAR booter who sold counterfeit goods has been sentenced to 140 hours unpaid work and to attend supervision for a year. All counterfeit goods were forfeited and the court ordered costs of £1,947.70 to be paid to Milton Keynes Council. In August 2009, undercover trading standards officers managed to buy counterfeit Nintendo DS games from a stall run by Cox, of Harvey Road, Bedford. A search of his stall after his arrest found more Nintendo DS games along with quantity of branded jewellery in the names of Pandora, Links of London and Tiffany & Co which were also fake. MK (MILTON KEYNES) NEWS 30/03/2011 UK

Glad rag time as gift lets homeless put on the style FAKE designer clothes worth more than £150,000 seized in raids will now kit out homeless people. Cambridgeshire TSOs confiscated the clothes in a series of raids. The groups receiving the fashion items are from homeless charities Jimmy’s Night Shelter and Winter Comfort in Cambridge as well as Paines Mill in St Neots. More than £10,000 worth of the clothes was delivered to the charities yesterday. A further £140,000

The International Press-Cutting Bureau prepares and supplies these reports to ACG via e-mail on subscription. ACG has received and provided this information in good faith, and is not responsible for any inaccuracies or errors www.ipcb.co.uk worth has also gone to His Church based in Bedfordshire, where worshippers will pick off the fake designer labels so that the clothes can then be given out legally to the charities. Henry Brown, chief executive of Jimmy’s said: "This is brilliant. We will be able to give these clothes to our residents and visitors to really give them back the dignity they deserve. The fact that they are brand new and not second hand will help gives them extra self-esteem." CAMBRIDGE NEWS 30/03/2011 UK

Fake goods trader must pay £270,000 A FUGITIVE trader, who bit off more than he could chew by selling fake goods, was stripped of his assets while on the run. Swee Teong Chew has been ordered to give back £269,815 in the next six months after he was convicted of selling counterfeit items at his shop in Oriental City, Edgware Road, Colindale. During his trial, the court heard he made a small fortune by flogging thousands of pounds worth of fake clothing and accessories bearing the names of designer brands including Gucci, Armani, Versace, Chanel and Louis Vuitton. The 43-year-old, from Palmers Green, North London, jumped bail and was sentenced to three years jail in his absence. KILBURN TIMES 31/03/2011 UK

Arrest after raids reveal Sky TV cards THOUSANDS of satellite decoder cards, which enable people to watch Sky TV for free, have been seized in a police raid. Officers from Sudbury Safer Neighbourhoods Team teamed up with Brent Trading Standards, the FA Premier League and Sky TV when they stormed a property in Barham Closed, Sudbury, on Tuesday. Two people were arrested after the team uncovered thousands of illegal satellite decodes, counterfeit clothing and cash in the property. The pair were questioned on suspicious of fraud offences and have been bailed pudding further enquiries. KILBURN TIMES 31/03/2011 UK

Car boot trader in fined over counterfeit goods A CAR boot trader has been ordered to pay costs of almost £2,000 after he was caught selling counterfeit computer games and jewellery. Jason Cox, 38, of Harvey Road in Bedford, appeared at Milton Keynes Magistrates Court on Friday after already pleading guilty to 11 offences under the Trade marks Act 1994 at an earlier hearing. He was sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment suspended for twelve months with an order to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work. All the goods were forfeited and Mr Cox was ordered to pay £1,947.70 in costs. MILTON KEYNES CITIZEN 31/03/2011 UK

Market swoop on fake clothes More than 70 counterfeit goods worth – if genuine - around £4,500 were seized from a Walsall market after a swoop by police and council chiefs. Fake footwear and clothes were recovered during the raid on Bescot Market following a tip off. The operation was led by trading standards officers, police and brand protection representatives. Council chiefs said they work alongside market operators LSD Promotions to rid Bescot Market of all counterfeit products. John Beavon, trading standards manager a Walsall Council, said: "By purchasing counterfeit items members of the public should be aware that their money may be funding seriously criminal behaviour. EXPRESS & STAR SERIES (WEST MIDLANDS) 31/03/2011 UK

Market trader sold counterfeit clothes A MAN from Chroley, in Lancashire, has pleaded guilty at Hull Crown Court to 11 offences of dealing in counterfeit goods at Skirlington Market. Faisal Mahmood, 31, was caught in a raid last May selling clothing falsely market with designer brand names. He also asked for a further 22 offences relating to 491 items to be taken into consideration. East Riding Council was granted a forfeiture and destruction order on all items seized. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 31/03/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: February 2011

Man sold counterfeit designer label clothing A MAN has admitted selling about 2,000 counterfeit. John Stirling, aged 32, faced Plymouth magistrates accused of selling fake designer clothing including Adidas and Nike trainers and Fred Perry polo shirts. Stirling, admitted 13 charges of selling goods bearing a false trade mark on July 8, July 13 and August 26. The court heard that the items sold on the auction website eBay. PLYMOUTH HERALD 01/02/2011 UK

Retailers Warned About Fake Booze Independent Off-licences should always buy their wines & spirits from reliable sources says the Federation of Wholesale Distribution (FWD), after reports that up to a quarter of retail outlets in some parts of the UK are stocking counterfeit alcohol products. NEIGHBOURHOOD RETAILER 01/02/2011 UK

Counterfeit threats More than 60% of the 1000 pharma anti-counterfeiting specialists surveyed believed that the threat of counterfeit medicines would increase in the next year and 53.8% have said that they intend to invest more in anti-counterfeiting. PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY EUROPE 01/02/2011 UK

£300,000 fakes seized as two men arrested MORE than £300,000 worth of fake mobile phone accessories have been seized and two men arrested following raids in W Yorks. Police swooped on two addresses in Batley, uncovering counterfeit and potentially unsafe phone batteries, chargers and covers. The discovery was made after officers from West Yorkshire TS test purchased mobile phone batteries bought from an online auction site where they have been advertised as genuine but turned out to be fake. A raid on one industrial unit revealed boxes of unlabelled batteries and sheets of adhesive labels carrying brand names that could be applied once an item has sold. Phone pouches with black tape used to cover Apple and Blackberry trade marks were also found a common practice used to conceal counterfeit goods and avoid detention at UK ports of entry. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 01/02/2011 UK

Shady secrets behind trade in fake goods The seizure of hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fake goods by W Yorks TS officers reveals the booming trade in counterfeits across our region. It also proves the age-old adage that if something seems too good to be true it usually is. Although in truth many of us know full well when we're buying something that isn't the real deal. With the increased sophistication of forgeries-whether it be Rolex watches or designer fashion brands it has become almost acceptable in many people's eyes to buy something that looks like the real thing but costs a fraction of the price. However, these products are potentially dangerous and buying them deprives proper traders of our custom at a time when they can least afford it. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 01/02/2011 UK

Roll Your Own Tobacco The increasing popularity of RYO hasn't escaped the more unscrupulous elements of society. The leading tobacco companies have been at the forefront of raising awareness about the problems of illegal cigarettes, and they are now trying to make sure that retailers are aware that the problem also affects the hand rolling sector. "The biggest threat that we have seen recently is the appearance of counterfeit RYO tobacco," says JTI's Jeremy Blackburn. RETAIL EXPRESS 01/02/2011 UK

Councillor facing bogus charge AN Enfield councillor has been charged by police with possessing goods with false trade marks at his shop in Ealing. Councillor Ali Bakir reported to Ealing Police on Monday and was formally accused of three counts of possessing the alleged bogus items for sale. The Labour councillor represents Haselbury ward and was elected to Enfield Council in May last year. He was first arrested by police on November 3 at the Broadway International Food Centre in West Ealing, which he owns. Police have released Cllr Bakir on bail until a court hearing before Ealing Magistrates on Monday February 21. ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 02/02/2011 UK; ENFIELD GAZETTE 10/02/2011 UK

Bootleg cigarette lined with Chinese asbestos SMOKERS are being warned of black market Russian import cigarettes which have been found to contain asbestos. Many of the Jin Ling cigarettes contain industrial chemicals from asbestos-lined Chinese plasterboard, trading standards officials revealed yesterday. They come in yellow packs with the words Jin Ling and USA emblazoned across the front. One man, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had been offered 200 Jin Ling brand while drinking in a club in a club in Hartlepool, Co Durham. METRO LONDON (INC, BRIGHTON) 02/02/2011 UK

Suspected drugs find was £2m in smuggled tobacco CUSTOMS officers discovered tonnes of contraband tobacco on which more than £1m duty should have been paid hiding in pairs of flip flops, a jury heard. Employees at Big Yellow Self Storage in Leeds alerted HM Revenue and Customs because of the smell from some rented storage units which they suspected might be cannabis. They were wrong about the source of the smell but right that those involved were acting illegally. Hundreds of cardboard boxes stored inside three units were checked and tobacco was found sealed inside the soles of many of the shoes. Inquiries were made about those renting and attending the units over previous weeks and that led the officers to a house in Waincliffe Mount, Beeston, Leeds, where they found a tobacco repackaging enterprise in the attic where counterfeit pouches of Golden Virginia and Amber Leaf were filled for onward sale. YORKSHIRE POST (SHEFFIELD & S. YORKSHIRE EDITION) 03/02/2011 UK

Barber sold fake brand goods at cut-price value A BARBER who was found in possession of several thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit clothing was rumbled following a tip off by police officers. At Banbury Magistrates' Court on Friday, Christopher Orwa, of Martengate, Banbury, pleaded guilty to eight counts of possessing goods with false trade marks for sale/hire. The 31 year old had been selling counterfeit clothes, including trainers, jumpers, and tracksuits, from his barber shop, Orwa's in George Street, Banbury. BANBURY GUARDIAN 03/02/2011 UK

Warning on fake web sales People in Staffordshire are reminded to raise any concerns over counterfeit goods to ensure they are not victims of a scam. Residents fell victim to fraudsters after receiving fake goods such as iPods and UGG boots last year. The sale of counterfeit clothes and electrical goods over the internet is becoming more common. Websites sometimes use a domain name that falsely suggests they are UK based. Scam websites are often difficult to tell from genuine websites but residents are encouraged to look out for some tell-tale signs. These include: if the price of an item is markedly lower than the market rate and no information about the identity of the person operating the business. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 03/02/2011 UK

Counterfeit goods help those in need Stoke-on-Trent City Council has confiscated hundreds of illegal sweaters, trousers and other items over the past year. The authority has teamed up with Bethel City Church, in Abbey Hulton, which will be distributing the stock. The clothing and household goods will be donated to families in need following a referral process. Any labels or tags will be removed before items are given away. SENTINEL THE 04/02/2011 UK

Student made thousands selling fake Viagra on internet A STUDENT earned almost £70,000 from his illegal internet business selling fake Viagra. David Hayler, 26, was jailed for eight months yesterday after a court heard now he bought vast amounts of counterfeit and unlicensed drugs from India and China to be re-sold in the UK. Hayler was a 21-year-old Leeds University business and marketing student when he set up the operation from his home on Shire Oak Road, Headingley, in 2006. Deanna Heel, prosecuting, said he set up a website called kamagradave.co.uk and advertised Viagra and Cialis, and another drug used to treat erectile dysfunction. The illegal venture came to an end after he was discovered by undercover investigators from drug company Pfizer. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 05/02/2011 UK; YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 05/02/2011 UK

£30K to pay council for fake goods. A JAILED conman has been forced to pay more than £30,000 to Tower Hamlets Council following a confiscation hearing at Blackfriars Crown Court. Baldeep Singh Arora was found guilty of trading in counterfeit goods at Isleworth Crown Court on April 22, 2010 and sentenced to nine months in prison. The council's trading standards financial investigators then launched a confiscation investigation under the proceeds of crime Act 2002, which revealed that Arora had benefited from his crime to the tune of £312,558. At a January hearing the judge ruled that Arora must pay £33,845 to the council within six months. If he does not, he could face 12 months in prison. Arora was caught in 2008 with a hoard of fake Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Sony and Panasonic products. EAST END LIFE 07/02/2011 UK

Illegal cigs are of the streets THOUSANDS of smuggled cigarettes have been taken off the streets from Sunderland. About 646,000 cigarettes and 327kg of hand-rolling tobacco were seized across the region between September and December including raids at several Wearside "tab houses". The majority of the tobacco seized was illegal imports from factories in the Far East, containing no health warnings, sparking concerns that they are being sold to youngsters for slashed prices. SUNDERLAND ECHO 07/02/2011 UK

2 in 3 are faking it TWO thirds of Brits have bought fake designer clothes, a poll has found. One in ten items in our wardrobes is counterfeit, with each of us owning an average of £142 worth of imitation gear. Two thirds buy fakes on holiday and a quarter online. More than half didn't know they were buying a copy, GetTheLabel.com found. SUN, THE 08/02/2011 UK

Task force is aiming to stub out trade in illegal tobacco ALMOST a quarter of smokers in Bristol are smoking illegal cigarettes, according to new figures. The data has been released today as a new task force was launched in the south to tackle the issue of illegal tobacco and its health impacts. Illegal tobacco refers to products that have been smuggled into the country by people exceeding their duty-free limit, or by counterfeiting cigarettes and tobacco products. A packet of illegal cigarettes makes it easer for children to smoke and gives people less motivation to quit the habit. A packet of illegal cigarettes will cost no more than £3.50 a pack - at least £2 cheaper than a packet of 20. The findings suggest that 23% of smokers in Bristol buy illegal tobacco. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 09/02/2011

Tobacco crook caught out A St Helens man was caught red handed trying to sell counterfeit cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco. Albert Whalley, 56, of Rudd Avenue, Parr, admitted six offenses before St Helens Magistrates Court after he was caught out by local TS officers following a tip-off. He was handed an 18 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 costs. The Court also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the seized items-which included more than 3,000 cigarettes and a small quantity of hand-rolling tobacco. The conviction marked the first successful prosecution of the newly-formed TS NW Regional Illicit Tobacco Enforcement Team. ST HELENS REPORTER 09/02/11 UK

DON`T BE A M-UGG! ONLINE shoppers are being warned to watch out for counterfeit Ugg boots. Renfrewshire Council's TS team has received a pile of complaints about sub-standard versions of the trendy footwear bought on the internet. However, there are thousands of unlicensed websites offering bargain hunters the chance to pick up their own pair for a fraction of the price. Councillor Marie McGurk, said: "In the past fortnight we have a series of complaints about Ugg boots that people have bought in good faith on the internet. Most have lost out of the tune of around £120. The fake boots are less substantial around the sole and heel”. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 11/02/2011 UK

Two jailed over 1m scam with flip flop tobacco A JUDGE has jailed two men for five years each for cheating the Revenue of more than £1m in duty on contraband tobacco hidden in boxes of flip flops at a Big Yellow Self Storage in Leeds. Inquires about those renting and attending the units over previews weeks led officers to Zhi Qing Cai's home in Waincliffe Mount, Beeston, Leeds. When that was searched Craig Hassall prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court a tobacco repackaging enterprise was discovered in the attic where counterfeit pouches of Golden Virginia and Amber PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Leaf were filled for onward sale to the illicit tobacco trade. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 12/02/2011 UK

Shop owner fined for counterfeit goods COUNTERFEIT clothing and 'dangerous' lighters were sold at a Torbay shop, a Court heard. Grandfather Francis Lowles, 61, of Mallock Road, was a director of Funky Funks Funwear Ltd, when 74 items of clothing and 23 lighters were seized by TS officers last month. Lowles was called to Torbay Magistrates Court to answer 10 allegations of selling goods bearing a false TM and allegations of supplying a dangerous product. He pleaded guilty to all charges. TORQUAY HERALD EXPRESS SERIES 15/02/11 UK

£800,000 or go to jail A COUNTERFEIT goods dealer who has failed to pay back a penny of the £2.75 million she made from her crimes has been ordered to repay an additional £800,000 within 28 days or go back to jail for five years. Lily Lee, aged 45, was jailed in 2008 for four years nine months after she was found guilty of a sophisticated scam which saw her smuggling millions of pounds worth of fake goods from China into the UK and selling them on internet auction sites. Lee, former director of furniture import company Wang Lee Ltd, was caught after police working with TS and HMRC officers noticed large amounts of fake goods being sold on eBay. Their investigations led them to the Wang Lee premises in the Upperthorpe, were officers found millions of pounds of fake branded goods including Nike, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Levi Strauss, Armani, G-Star and Evisu. Four shipping containers with hundreds of items bound for Sheffield were also intercepted by Customs in Felixstowe. SHEFFIELD STAR (SHEFFIELD, ROTHERHAM & BARNSLEY) 15/02/2011 UK; SHEFFIELD WEEKLY GAZETTE (SERIES) 17/02/2011 UK

Dodgy eBayer has close brush with the law A ROUGUE trader narrowly escaped jail after he was caught selling counterfeit Oral B toothbrush heads on eBay. Vikesh Kotecha, of Graham Gardens, had his account closed by the auction website but continued selling by opening false accounts. Pleading guilty to two TM at Luton Magistrates, the 20-year-old was ordered to carry out 240 hours of community service and pay £220 towards the council's costs. LUTON NEWS 16/02/11 UK

Web counterfeiter pays the price for brush with the law A man who sold poor quality counterfeit Oral B toothbrush heads on eBay has been given a community order. LUTON & DUNSTABLE EXPRESS 16/02/2011 UK

Cigs are seized from ‘tab house’ AROUND 200 illegal cigarettes have been seized following a raid on a house. The joint operation involved officers from Hartlepool TS unit, Cleveland Police, HMRC and Scambusters. The operation, codenamed operation Antelope, resulted in a 48-year-old man being arrested and bailed pending further investigations. The arrest followed surveillance on a property where it is alleged that the illegal cigarettes were being sold to members of the local community, including school children. The operation is part of a clampdown on the sale of illicit tobacco from residential properties know as a ‘tab houses’. Part of the haul seized at the residential property were packets of cigarettes with non-compliant health warnings. HARTLEPOOL MAIL 17/02/2011

Fake goods dealer told to pay up or back to jail A COUNTERFEIT goods dealer from Sheffield has failed to pay back a penny of the £2.75m she made from her crimes. Now Lily Lee, who operated from premises in Upperthorpe, must pay back an additional £800,000 in 28 days or go to prison for five years. Lee, aged 45, was jailed in 2008 for four years nine months after she was found guilty of a sophisticated scam which saw her smuggling millions of pounds' worth of fake goods from China into the UK and selling them on internet auction sites. The former director of furniture import company Wang Lee Ltd was caught after police working with TS and HMRC officers noticed large amounts of fake goods sold on eBay. SHEFFIELD TELEGRAPH 17/02/11 UK

Illicit tobacco and drinks are seized Customs and Wigan Borough trading standards watchdogs teamed up to seize illicit goods, including cigarettes, tobacco, spirits and wine. LEIGH, TYLDESLEY & ATHERTON JOURNAL 17/02/2011 UK

"Fakes" seller gets market ban A trader who sold counterfeit designer clothes and jewellery has been banned from working at markets and boot sales. ROMFORD RECORDER 18/02/2011 UK

"I did not know drugs were fake" The alleged ringleader of Europe’s biggest ever multi-million pound counterfeit-medicines plot has claimed he did not know the drugs were fakes. Peter Gillespie, 64, of Carey Close, Windsor is accused of being motivated by "pure greed" when selling three types of fake "lifesaving" medicines. ROYAL BOROUGH OBSERVER 18/02/2011 UK

Man Sold fake brand clothing A man put thousands of items of fake designer-label clothing for sale on eBay - but claimed that he did not know they were counterfeit. PLYMOUTH HERALD 22/02/2011 UK

Councillor to face jury trial A labour councillor faces a crown court trial over allegations his shop was selling counterfeit vodka. ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 23/02/2011 UK

Market trader banned for selling counterfeit goods A trader has been banned from working at any market or boot sale in England and Wales for selling counterfeit goods in Romford after being prosecuted by Havering Council. EAST LONDON ENQUIRER 24/02/2011 UK; ROMFORD RECORDER 18/02/2011 UK

Fake Olympics T-shirts seized in Oxford Street Thousands of fake Olympics-branded clothes worth £100,000 have been seized in a crackdown on counterfeiters. EVENING STANDARD 25/02/2011 UK

Viagra haul of £13m... mostly fake ATTEMPS to flood the UK with millions of fake Viagra tablets proved a flop when border officials rose to the challenge, figures showed today. Officers from the UKBA seized 8.5 million fake and unlicensed Viagra tablets worth £13 million last year. Most of the pills were destined for the black market. Some six million doses were found in freight deliveries at London's Heathrow Airport, and another 2.1 million were found in parcels at the Coventry international postal hub. All ordered online by British customers. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 25/2/11 UK

LIMPORTED Some 8.5 million fake Viagra pills worth £13 million were seized on their way into the UK in 2010. SUN, THE 25/02/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: January 2011

Deadly risk of cut-price fake vodka in shops A BOTTLE of vodka bought at a bargain basement price could leave you not just blind drunk but possibly blind. That's the warning from trading standards trying to stem a tide of counterfeit alcoholic drinks flooding the country. During the holiday period they seized thousands of pounds worth of illegal drinks in a series of raids across the country. One bottle of counterfeit vodka “foamed like shampoo" when it was poured. The fake spirits can contain alarmingly high levels of methanol. Methanol is used to make anti-freeze and some fuels. Drinking high doses of it can cause dizziness, breathing difficulties and even blindness. SUNDAY EXPRESS 02/01/2011 UK

STORE SOLD FAKE VODKA A SOUTHAMPTON shop could be banned from selling booze after counterfeit Smirnoff vodka made a customer sick. The customer complained of vomiting and blurred vision after drinking some of the vodka he bough from Pound Xtra in St Mary's Road. Tests by TS confirmed bottles of the vodka on sale were counterfeit. Akilu Alem, A partner in the business, told officers he had got the vodka from an unknown man with a van, who had dropped it off without taking payment and said he would return for it. But he was unable to produce a delivery note or invoice for the vodka when asked by TS officers. Officers also seized 72 packs of counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes that were in a black bin bag behind the counter. SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 03/01/2011 UK

Councillor investigated AN Enfield councillor arrested on suspicion of possessing counterfeit goods has been released on bail until the end of the month. Haselbury councillor Ali Bakir owns the Broadway International Food Centre, in West Ealing, where he was arrested on November 3. He was questioned by police on suspicious of possessing of goods with false trademarks for sale or hire. Cllr Bakir has been suspended from the Labour group while the investigation continues. ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 05/01/2011 UK

Cigarette smuggler is caught by customs Hull: A man tried to smuggle almost a million counterfeit cigarettes through the city's docks using rotten mushrooms as cover, a court heard. Marek Jacek Rucinski, 47, a Polish national arrived onboard a ferry from Rotterdam on July 19. He was driving a lorry when he was stopped by customs, who became suspicious at boxes full of rotten mushrooms unfit for consumption. On further inspection, they discovered 940,000 cigarettes. Rucinski was jailed for 364 days and ordered to pay £1,100 in costs. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 06/01/2011 UK

Trader fined for fake labels sales A SHOP owner has been ordered to do 120 hours community service after selling counterfeit clothing. The store was raided by TS after undercover officers bought a Stone Island jacket and Lacoste jumper for £25 in December 2009. A total of 170 items of clothing were seized which if genuine would have had a combined value of around £13,000. Abdessamad El Amri, the owner of the shop, was fined £1,890 at Harrow Magistrates Court on Wednesday, December 22. HENDON & FINCHLEY TIMES 06/01/2011 UK

Customs crackdown on illicit booze FAKE cigarettes and illicit booze are being sold around South Cheshire. In a crackdown in black market crime, HMRC are now urging people to be on their guard in the New Year. With clever packaging, it can often be difficult to spot dodgy goods. But almost 17 million illegal cigarettes and more than 250,000 litres of alcohol have recently been seized from homes across the North West. CREWE & NANTWICH GUARDIAN 06/01/2011 UK

Fake ‘Ugg’ boots CHRISTOPHER David Curzon-Pollard, 22, of Lindale Drive, Codnor, was given a community order, four months' curfew, told to carry out 100 hours' unpaid work and ordered to pay £400 cost for possessing goods with a false trade mark for sale on December 1, 2009. Magistrates ordered the destruction of 50 pairs of ‘Ugg’ boots. DERBY TELEGRAPH 07/01/2011 UK

Father sold fake trainers An unemployed father-of-three has been ordered to pay back nearly £1,000 after selling fake trainers on eBay. Brian Robbins, aged 36, of Uplands Road, Dudley, was selling the trainers for £25 a pair. He was told to pay a £120 fine and costs of the investigations totalled £5,045. Trading Standards officers caught him selling a pair of fake trainers online, and another four pairs at his house. Miss Neelam Bangar, prosecuting, said Dudley Council TS were first alerted after an eBay customer complained about a fake Henri Lloyd polo shirt she’d bought from Robbins for 18 in May 2009. TS then began investigating his three eBay accounts, which led to a discovery of goods at his home. Robbins pleaded guilty to one charge of selling goods with a false trade mark and two counts of possessing goods with a false trademark. EXPRESS & STAR SERIES (WEST MIDLANDS) 07/01/2011 UK

Fake cigarettes sold to underage teenager TRADING Standards officers stumbled across fake cigarettes during an underage test purchase. Officers were trying to see if Shamik Rao would sell cigarettes to a 16-year-old from his van at Witham's railway station. He sold the teenager a packet of 20 Marlboro cigarettes, Chelmsford Crown Court heard. But the cigarettes sold by Rao in January 28 last year were fake. When the van was searched later, another 1,000 fake Marlboro cigarettes were found. COLCHESTER DAILY GAZETTE 07/01/2011 UK

Counterfeit goods a threat to buyers COUNTY TS Service is receiving numerous complaints from residents who have purchased fake GHD hair stylers and Ugg boots via the internet in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Consumers end up receiving poor quality counterfeits, and fake GHD electrical products which could be potentially lethal given their high heat and lack of proper built-in electrical safety. The web sites themselves are usually based outside the EU, including the Far East, which makes it extremely difficult for any consumer to contact the seller if they do have any difficulties. CARMARTHEN JOURNAL 08/01/2011 UK

Tobacco and wine seized COUNTERFEIT tobacco and smuggled wine worth thousands of pounds have been seized in west Belfast. More than 185,000 cigarettes and 157 litres of wine were hidden in containers in a warehouse. Cash and business records were also seized during the raid on Friday. Two men were arrested and later released on bail. IRISH NEWS (BELFAST) 12/01/2011 UK

PUP IN SMOKE MOBSTER Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair can today be exposed as the top target for crime-busters probing a huge cigarette smuggling operation. Police and Customs believe the convicted terror chief, whose paramilitaries were suspected of 40 murders, is now the Mr Big of a tobacco trafficking gang. Crooks are doing a roaring trade at street markets across Scotland, selling tons of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco supplied by Chinese black marketers. And Customs men and Police believe that Adair's gang control the trade in Ayrshire, where he settled after his old UDA cronies hounded him out of Belfast. A source said: Adair’s name frequently crops up. SCOTTISH SUNDAY MAIL 16/01/2011 UK

Lead poison fear over Chinese copies of Royal Crown Derby ROYAL Crown Derby has said the future of the business is being put under threat from fakes which are being produced in China. The Osmaston Road firm, which is one of only a handful of companies left in the UK that still makes porcelain, believes that the trade in counterfeit Royal Crown Derby products is highly damaging. In an interview with BBC1's Inside Out programme, which will air tonight, the firm chairman, Hugh Gibson, talks about the impact the fakes are having on the company, which has been producing fine china for more than 200 years. Royal Crown Derby has already had to cut production due to the recession. Mr Gibson said the counterfeit operation had made tough situation worse. DERBY TELEGRAPH 17/01/2011

Designer shop owner refutes fake rumours THE owner of a designer boutique has defended herself against malicious gossip which claims she is selling counterfeit goods. Pat Copeland who runs Joseph M, in Darlington, said she was devastated when she discovered that some of the rumours had even found their way into the social networking website, Facebook. She said that the gossip claimed that she had featured in a Court report in the Northern Echo having been

The International Press-Cutting Bureau prepares and supplies these reports to ACG via e-mail on subscription. ACG has received and provided this information in good faith, and is not responsible for any inaccuracies or errors www.ipcb.co.uk prosecuted for selling counterfeit goods. However, Mrs Copeland, who has run Joseph M for 14 years, said none of the gossip is true and all the clothing in her shops is authentic designer wear. NORTHERN ECHO 20/01/2011 UK

Smugglers jailed for fake cigarettes A WEARSIDE man is one of a criminal gang sentenced for smuggling millions of fake cigarettes into the UK. Ian Lumsden, 34, from Southwick, was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to tobacco smuggling. Unemployed Lumsden, of Maypole Close, was involved in the transport of the cigarettes in November 2007, along with 10 men and one woman. The leader of the gang, Peter Vyse, a market trader from Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire, was jailed along with nine other gang members for a total of over 30 years at Southwark Crown Court in London on Wednesday. He was the ringleader of the gang that smuggled more than £64 million of fake cigarettes into the UK. SUNDERLAND ECHO 24/01/2011 UK

Illegal alcohol and tobacco seized More than £22,000 of illegal alcohol and tobacco has been seized in raids on shops in Portsmouth. Twenty stores in the city were visited by Revenue & Customs. Five were found to have goods on which no duty had been paid. At one unnamed store officers seized about 840 bottles of wine, 1,750 bottles of spirits, 576 litres of cider and 3,232 litres of beer. A van being used to carry some of the goods was seized. It is believed the goods are worth about £17,000. In total 6,234 litres of alcohol, 20 kg of tobacco and cigarettes were seized across the city last Thursday and Friday. PORTSMOUTH NEWS 26/01/2011 UK

Jail for part in smuggling AN Enfield man has been jailed for his part in a fake cigarettes smuggling operation involving the Italian Mafia. Terence Boreham, 49, of Meadway, Enfield, was sentenced to four-and-a-half-years for his part in a gang which trafficked £64 million of cigarettes into the UK, evading £10 million in duty. ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 26/01/2011 UK

HP battling counterfeit printer supplies HEWLETT Packard, uncovered a record amount of counterfeit printing supplies since its anti-counterfeit programme began in 2006. Surveys and Research sponsored by HP demonstrated that almost half of the corporate management with purchasing power for their companies have bought counterfeit HP ink and toners. Furthermore, counterfeiting policies were absent from the workplace and not prioritised to be a concern for management among customers. However, respondents From Europe and the Middle East predominantly agreed that the production and sale of counterfeit goods were detrimental for society (88%), and the use of such products contributed significantly to unemployment and reduced tax revenues (78%). EPOCH TIMES, THE 26/01/2011 UK

Curfew order for selling fake clothing A DOWNEND student has been given a curfew order after he was caught with fake clothing brands on a market stall at Filton. Amarjit Singh, 18, of Sutherland Avenue, admitted 14 charges of possessing counterfeit goods for sale, including copies of labels such a Bench, Henleys and adidas. They included seven different branded tracksuits, T-shirts, Sweatshirts and jackets. Singh was given a 12-week curfew order by North Devon magistrates, which requires him to stay at home from 7am-7pm on Saturdays and Sundays during that time. He was also ordered to pay 250 in prosecutions costs. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 27/01/2011 UK

Gang jailed for hiding fake cigarettes Dennis Lynch, 44, of Mutton Lane, was part of a gang who trafficked 64 million fake cigarettes into the UK, evading £10 million in duty. Lynch helped move the goods around the country and acted as a courier for the dirty money, much of which officials believe was ploughed back into criminal activities. On Thursday, January 20, at Southwark Crown Court, Lynch was jailed for three-and-a-half years for his role along with eight other people. The gang was smashed after customs seized 9 million cigarettes hidden in consignments of glass, fruit juice, pickled vegetables and dog food between November 2007 and June 2008. The goods were made in Moldova and Ukraine. BARNET & POTTERS BAR TIMES 27/01/2011 UK

SuperGroup fights to protect brand FASHION chain SuperGroup has vowed to continue to fight to protect its brand after winning a legal case alleging an infringement of design rights. The company, which owns the Superdry brand, has nearly 100 legal actions under way alleging copyright or design rights infringements. It received a judgment in the High Court on Friday in respect of its Superdry Lumberjack range of hooded shirts, which retail at £54.99. The Cheltenham-based company took action against Rhodi, a Lancashire based fashion group that makes the VOI range of jeans and other clothing. Simon Bennett, partner at solicitors Fox Williams, who acted for SuperGroup, said the VOI shirts at the centre of the case had retailed for £22. SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, THE 30/01/2011 UK

Fake tobacco packs found in town store THE owner of a convenience store in Northampton has pleaded guilty to possessing and intending to supply more than 1,500 packets of counterfeit tobacco. Abdel Karim, aged 32, the owner of A and K General Stores, Wellingborough Road, Northampton was sentenced to a 12 month community order with 100 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay a fine and court costs totalling £1,249.50. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 31/01/2011 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: December 2010

£500,000 haul of fake goods seized from storage firm FAKE designer clothing and perfume worth up to £500,000 has been seized from a storage company. The huge haul was found in seven units at Ready Steady Store, in Bury new Road, Broughton, Salford. Trading standards officers and police launched an operation after receiving a tip off from one of the brands which had been ripped off. It is believed the stash had been stored away ready for the Christmas market. An estimated 14,000 items were recovered after searches of the building over two days. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 01/12/2010 UK; DAILY STAR 02/12/2010 UK; SUN, THE 02/12/2010 UK; SALFORD ADVERTISER (INC. SALFORD CITY REPORTER 02/12/10

Legal action threat on plain pack plans Tobacco companies are preparing for a bruising legal battle with the UK government over plans to bring in plain cigarette packaging in the UK. Health secretary Andrew Lansley said last month that "glitzy designs on packets" attracted children to smoking and it made sense to look at "less attractive packaging" but British American Tobacco, has said that it would be considering legal action to protect its branding and that the move would lead to sharp rise in counterfeit cigarettes entering the UK. PACKAGING NEWS 01/12/2010 UK

It's pay back time for fake goods seller A FILTON man was ordered to pay back more than £19,000 after he pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit films and footwear online. Russell Painter, 28, of the Mead, was sentenced in July at Bristol Crown Court to a suspended six-month jail term and 175 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to eight charges under the Trade Marks Act1994. The charges related to copied DVD box-sets and sales of counterfeit Ugg footwear. Painter appeared before court again on Friday for a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing. It was disclosed that he had realisable assets of £18,750 from his illegal sales and he was ordered to repay the amount within 28 days or he would be sentenced to nine months in jail. Painter was also ordered to pay £2,500 towards prosecution costs. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 01/12/2010 UK

Avoid buying counterfeit Christmas gifts COUNTERFEIT Christmas gifts might seem cheap and cheerful; but can cause serious harm to children and adults because of poor quality, experts in Gloucestershire have warned. Apart from being illegal, fake electrical equipment, toys, perfume and tools have not been through the same rigorous safety checks as legitimate gifts. Badly assembled radio controlled cars cause electric shocks, while cuddly animals have in the past been found to contain high levels of lead and chromium. And sellers who push," knock off" designer clothes and watches more often than not have links to the organised crime world. Anyone who buys their wares at Christmas could unwittingly be supporting their lifestyles. STROUD NEWS & JOURNAL 01/12/2010 UK

Some Mothers do ave ‘em! In a rare first, two Kensington and Chelsea officers couldn't believe their luck when they were approached by a seller of counterfeit goods while outside their SNT base! Immediately, the 20 year old man turned and run, unfortunately for him his ability to see a big blue sign with the words Metropolitan Police written on it and he was soon apprehended by officers and arrested. POLICE LIFE (UK) 01/12/2010 UK

Counterfeit crack down Northern Constabulary has backed a Scotland Crimestoppers campaign to tackle counterfeits and raise awareness of the more serious links it has to organised crime. With Christmas approaching and the effects of the last recession still hitting hard, there is often a grater temptation to buy fake goods. In a recent survey conducted by Scotland Yard Crimestoppers, 30% of people questioned said they didn't know that buying fake goods might fund serious organised crime. 90% said they wouldn't buy fake goods if they knew it would fund criminal activity. POLICE LIFE (UK) 01/12/2010 UK

Festive fakes help appeal CONSUMERS are being urged to join a crackdown on counterfeit goods that help fund criminal activities in Lancashire this Christmas. Crimestoppers has launched a new campaign that highlights the links between fake goods and serious organized crime. Not only does buying these goods financially support criminals, but it can also fund other crimes such as drugs dealing, people trafficking, prostitution and money laundering. GARSTANG COURIER 01/12/2010 UK; LANCASTER & MORECAMBE REPORTER 02/12/2010 UK

Decorators fake jewellery scam A MAN that sold fake Tiffany, Chanel and Gucci jewellery on the internet has narrowly escaped a jail sentence. Painter and decorator Gary Newton admitted 25 counts of selling goods bearing unauthorised trademarks. The 40 year-old, of Carvel Way, Littlehampton initially denied selling necklaces, cufflinks, earrings and bracelets. However, when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court he pleaded guilty and was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for six months and ordered to pay back £5,500. He was also placed under a curfew between 9pm and 6am with an electronic tag. BRIGHTON ARGUS 02/12/2010 UK

STOCKING FILLERS FAKE designer clothing and perfume worth up to £500,000 has been seized by police. It is believed the stash, which was found in seven Ready Steady Store units in Salford, was intended to be sold at Christmas markets. An estimated 14,000 items were recovered. Three people have been arrested and bailed. DAILY STAR 02/12/2010 UK

M COUNTERFEIT Fakes designer boots, clothes and perfumes worth millions for sale at Christmas were seized in Manchester. SUN, THE 02/12/2010 UK

Watch out for fake goods A COUNTYWIDE campaign to tackle counterfeiting and highlight its links with organised crime has been launched by Gloucestershire Crimestoppers. Last month alone, Trading Standards seized 600 DVD's, 49,800 cigarettes and more than 50 bottles of suspected counterfeit spirits. GLOUCESTER CITIZEN 02/12/2010 UK; GLOUCESTERSHIRE GAZETTE 02/12/2010 UK

Counterfeit vodka A 55-YEAR OLD Weston man has been charged with being involved in producing counterfeit vodka. Michael Mathews, of Stanley Grove, is one of seven accused of revenue offences following an investigation by HMRC. Matthews, along with six men from Nottingham, has been charged with conspiracy to cheat HMRC of the duty payable on alcoholic products. WESTON, WORLE & SOMERSET MERCURY 02/12/2010 UK

'Counterfeit' warning over Xmas goods RESIDENTS are being warned to be wary of buying counterfeit toys in the run up to the Christmas season. Havering Council are urging residents to take extra care after their officers recently seized a number of fake toys in the borough including counterfeit versions of Scooby Doo and Ben 10 toys. Councillor Lesley Kelly, said: "If you shop at well-known, reputable stores then you should have nothing to worry about but if you are not sure where a toy has come from then it is better to be safe than sorry. ROMFORD RECORDER 03/12/2010 UK

BAD SANTA DESIGNER purses, watches, make-up, UGG boots and hair straighteners are just some of the products being smuggled into the country to feed the lucrative counterfeit market this Christmas. Almost 20,000 handbags, DVD's, phone accessories, make-up and jewellery items disguised as the "real deal" were intercepted by Customs officers at airports, ferry ports and mail centres in the first 10 months of this year. The fake products are so professionally counterfeited that some are even making it into the genuine business - meaning unsuspecting punters could be coughing up for phoney merchandise this Christmas. IRISH DAILY STAR ON SUNDAY 05/12/2010 Ireland

Beware of cut-price counterfeit footwear THEY ARE one of the most sought-after Christmas gifts among the fashion conscious. But Scots are being warned to beware of cut-price counterfeit UGG. The caution comes from Alistair Campbell, a Scot who is the Brand Protection Manager for Deckers Outdoor Corporation, which owns the UGG brand. Alistair, with 25 years of experience in the field, enjoyed a similar role with Rangers and saved the Ibrox club millions of pounds over a ten year period. SCOTTISH SUNDAY POST (SERIES) 05/12/2010 UK

Children targets in web con INTERNET scammers have set up thousands of fake sites deliberately targeting children with fake designer clothes, toys and electrical goods. Last night parents were warned to take care before buying presents for their kids online. Trading Standards Officer Handley Brustad said: "A lot of these products are not only dodgy but dangerous." Half a million fake websites have already been closed down this year – 40% more than last year. Fraudsters bought web names similar to genuine sites over the summer to build sites targeting Christmas shoppers. SUN, THE 06/12/2010 UK

Fraudsters ordered to pay back £36,000 Three fraudsters who sold thousands of pounds worth of fake shoes and clothing over the internet from home have been ordered to pay back more than £36,000. Conmen Jason Messenger, Kevin Gibbons and Simon Jones, all from Sandwell, used auction website eBay to sell counterfeit Nike trainers and Timberland boots. Yesterday they were back at Wolverhampton Crown Court for a proceeds of crime hearing when Judge Michael Challinor formally confiscated the remaining funds. The pay back amount is less than 12% of £317,629 that the conmen racked in from the scam. Messenger aged 48, of Britannia Road, Rowley Regis, appeared at the dock following completion of half an 18-month prison sentence for possessing goods with a false trademark and fraud relating to false bids on eBay. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 07/12/2010 UK; SANDWELL & GREAT BARR CHRONICLE 09/12/2010 UK

Cigs shop loses its licence A SHOP has been stripped of its licence for allegedly selling counterfeit cigarettes. Eastern European food, Market Street in Dewsbury, had its licence revoked. It followed repeated warnings from police and HMRC. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 08/12/2010 UK

Buying fakes cost lives, says museum VISITORS to the Merseyside Maritime Museum will be warned that buying fake goods this Christmas could lead to tragedy. The Albert Dock institution opened an exhibition yesterday displaying the dangers of buying presents from unlicensed manufacturers, who cost the government £550m every year. Parents need to take particular caution when buying video games equipment for their children. A child was killed in 2007 when he was electrocuted by a fake charger; in 2008 police intercepted thousands of fake Nintendo DS consoles from China. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST 08/12/2010 UK; LIVERPOOL ECHO 08/12/2010 UK

Fake goods warning Complaints of suspected counterfeit goods being sold in workplaces in Louth have been received by Lincolnshire Trading Standards. It has sent letters and posters out to 100 businesses across the county to make them aware that staff may be using their workplace to sell fake goods to colleagues. All complaints have related to CDs and DVD's. However, Trading Standards believe other counterfeit products, such as clothing, handbags and cigarettes, are also being sold in the workplace. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 08/12/2010 UK

Seisure averts oil 'disaster' PETERBOROUGH City Council was yesterday given permission to destroy £600,000 worth of counterfeit oil drilling equipment confiscated from a firm. The drilling parts were seized from Gripp Belgique, based in Peterborough, and will be melted down, sold as scrap metal and the proceeds used to repay a loan taken out for the equipment. The action comes after city businessman Adrian Belson, who ran Gripp Belgique, was caught by trading standards in January last year trying to sell defective drilling parts to a Dubai-based firm. Belson was jailed for two-and-a-half years and the firm was fined £20,000. PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH 08/12/2010 UK

ROGUE TRADE A RAG trade rogue lived a millionaire lifestyle thanks to a fake designer labels scam. Amit Sharma, 34, made more than £1million selling counterfeit clothes on eBay. He used the cash to buy a string of plush houses and a fleet of luxury cars including a £120,000 Lamborghini. But trading standards officials finally caught him taking delivery of a shipment of fake Diesel jeans from China. Sharma sobbed yesterday as he was jailed for 21 months. DAILY STAR 09/12/2010 UK; MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 08/12/2010 UK

Village man denies involvement in the biggest counterfeit ... OXFORDSHIRE: A villager is one of the five men accused of profiteering in a multi-million-pound scam involving counterfeit cancer and heart drugs. Ian Gillespie, 58, of the Green, Marsh Baldon, pleaded not guilty at Croydon Crown Court to a plot involving Chinese manufactured drugs that has been called Europe's biggest ever scam of its kind. All five have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to defraud pharmaceutical wholesalers, pharmacists, the public and holders of intellectual property rights in pharmaceuticals by dishonestly distributing counterfeit medicines. They also deny two counts each of selling or supplying drugs without authorisation and selling or supplying counterfeit goods. OXFORD TIMES 09/12/2010 UK

Keeping Standards up this Christmas A STALL full of fake goods has been set up by Trading Standards to warn people of the dangers of buying dodgy gifts this Christmas. Tower Hamlets officers joined forces with Crimestoppers and set up a shop on Whitechapel High Street last week to lure in unsuspecting customers. The team was there to advice shoppers how to identify the fakes and warn them that many merchants who sell counterfeit goods have links to serious organised crime, including human trafficking and drug smuggling. In a recent You Gov survey, a quarter of adults have knowingly bought a fake DVD. But when asked if they will still buy the products knowing it could have funded serious organised crime more than half said they definitely would not. EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 09/12/2010 UK

Beware of fake goods sold online TRADING standards officers are warning internet shoppers of too-good-to-be true deals. Over the past five months they had received a number of complaints from unhappy shoppers who had ordered what they thought were internet bargains only to receive poor quality counterfeit copies of the genuine article. In some cases no goods were received at all despite payment having been made. In Wigan, there have been reports of copy UGG Boots, GHD hair straighteners, iPods and iPhones. Many of these items were sent from companies based in the Far East even though the web site addresses gave the impression that they were official UK based sites. WIGAN EVENING POST 09/12/2010 UK eBay must take down fake goods All counterfeit goods must be removed from the eBay site as soon as it finds out they are fakes, a European court ruled yesterday. L'Oreal brought the case against the website after noticing fake perfumes and cosmetics were for sale under its trademark. The site was told it would have to remove counterfeit items brought to its attention but eBay cannot be held accountable for fake items posted by users in general. DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 10/12/2010 UK

Fake designer shop boss must pay £3m A MARKET trader has been told by top judges he must pay every penny of a £3.3 million confiscation order for selling fake designer goods or spend 10 years behind bars. Guarcharan Singh, 42, owner of Chockers shoe shop in Ashford town centre and a market stall in Folkestone, was handed a "merciful" two year suspended prison sentence at Canterbury Crown Court in February 2008 after he admitted 43 sample counts of using unauthorised trademarks. But, after a proceeds of Crime Act confiscation hearing in December last year, a judge found he had led a "criminal life style" and ordered him to pay £3,293796 or go to jail for ten years. KENTISH EXPRESS (ASHFORD & DISTRICT EDITION) 09/12/2010 UK

Arrest made over fake goods trade CRIMINALS have been arrested over the last four days as part of a countywide crackdown on those who live off the proceeds of fake goods and fraud. West Yorkshire police ran the operation jointly with Trading Standards to target those who trade in counterfeit goods. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 10/12/2010 UK

More than 800,000 illegal cigarettes seized at port More than 800,000 illegal cigarettes have been seized at the Port of Felixstowe. The haul - with an estimated retail value of £250,000 was discovered by UKBA officials hidden in divans and mattresses in a container shipped from China. When the container was opened on Monday, staff were confronted with several rows of mattresses and divan bases. About three quarters of the way into the container smugglers had hidden 21 large cardboard boxes containing cartons of cigarettes marked Benson & Hedges Gold. EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 11/12/2010 UK

Customs seized 12m cigarettes CUSTOMS have seized more than 12 million counterfeit cigarettes with an estimated retail value of £3.6m at Dublin Port. IRISH NEWS (BELFAST) 11/12/2010 UK

10,000 fake cigarettes seized AN organised raid on businesses uncovered 10,000 illegal cigarettes. With the help of sniffer dogs, a number of premises were visited during the raid run by the council's trading standards team with police and HMRC. The operation was part of a continuing crackdown on smuggled cigarettes in Tower Hamlets. Shops and self-storage units were targeted using intelligence gathered from a range of sources. More than ten kilograms of illegal shisha and hand rolling tobacco were also seized. EAST END LIFE 13/12/2010 UK; EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 16/12/2010 UK

Fake Faberge egg scam cracked FRENCH CUSTOMS agents have uncovered a nest of 354 bejewelled eggs and declared them counterfeit copies of the famed Faberge collection which were brought to France for sale at Christmas markets in Paris. INDEPENDENT, THE 15/12/2010 UK

Two arrests after fake goods find at city shop A HAUL of suspected designer goods has been seized after further Christmas Crackdowns by police. Scores of dodgy designer products including sunglasses, jewellery, mobile phones and clothing were found after a raid at 3NK Cosmetics on Shields Road, Byker, Newcastle. The items, which could have netted the seller thousands of pounds if sold on, were retrieved after Northumbria Police and Trading Standards received information the shop was involved in selling the counterfeit goods. A 40 year old man and a 41 year old woman were arrested. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 15/12/2010 UK

Don’t be an Ugg mug this Christmas TRADING Standards officers in Sefton are warning residents no to be a Christmas Ugg mug. Officers have already been contacted by a number of consumers across the borough who have bought UGG boots on the internet only to find out they are fakes. One consumer who bought a fake pair was even told they had to send a further £40 just to get a refund. Sefton Council Trading Standards is warned residents not to be fooled by cheap prices on the internet when buying Ugg boots, especially in the run up to Christmas. Not only does this apply to Ugg boots but other items like GHD straighteners and other popular electrical items bought as gifts. CHAMPION (SOUTHPORT) 15/12/2010 UK

County joins fight against fake goods CRIMESTOPPERS in Gloucestershire has joined a country-wide campaign to tackle counterfeiting and raise awareness of the more serious links it has to organised crime. The campaign is also a bid to raise awareness of some of the other problems associated with counterfeit items including defective goods and the effect the sale has on the economy through unpaid revenue and diverting trade from legitimate traders. During October alone Gloucestershire Trading Standards seized 600 DVD's including explicit unclassified pornographic material. In addition, 19,800 cigarettes, 15.5kg of illicit hand rolling tobacco, while other goods discovered including more than fifty bottles of suspected counterfeit spirits and nearly 1,000 cans of lager. Martin Bruton, consumer advised and community development manager. "With Christmas approaching and the recession hitting hard, there is often a greater temptation to buy fake goods, However few understand the consequences and serious implications behind counterfeiting. GLOUCESTER INDEPENDENT 16/12/2010 UK

Trader jailed for selling fake designer clothing A MOTHER was spared prison last week but had to watch her son jailed after they were both convicted of trading in fake designer clothes. Sharen Watson and her son Guy, both of Northfield Drive in West Moor, pleaded guilty at Newcastle Crown Court to selling counterfeit clothing. Mrs Watson, 55, was sentenced to 51 week's imprisonment suspended for a year, plus a community order requiring her to do 100 hours unpaid work but her 30 years-old-son was jailed for 12 months. More than 300 items of counterfeit clothing mainly bogus Abercrombie & Fitch and Ralph Lauren-labelled goods bought from China to sell on the auction website eBay were found at the family home by police officers. NEWS GUARDIAN WHITLEY BAY EDITION 16/12/2010 UK

Counterfeit vodka firm fine A CASTLEFORD wholesaler has been found guilty of supplying counterfeit vodka following an investigation By West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service. Davison & Robinson Ltd of Aire Street, Castleford, trading as The Ale Seller, pleaded guilty at Pontefract Magistrate's Court to two offences under the food Safety Act. The product, labelled as Granton Vodka which the company had supplied to a retailer in Fitzwilliam, was analysed following a complaint to Trading Standards. A member of the public who bought the vodka complained it 'didn't taste right' and when analysed, the liquid was found to contain double the permitted level of methanol, meaning it did not meet required standards and could not legally be sold as vodka. Davison & Robinson was unable to tell Trading Standards officers the identity of its supplier, claiming the vodka had been left by a customer who needed to make room on his vehicle to transport some fireworks. PONTEFRACT & CASTLEFORD EXPRESS 16/12/2010 UK

Fake paintings used to show crime does pay FAKE oil paintings are now brightening up an old people's home after being seized from crooks trying to sell them as originals. The centre also has a selection of new knives, which were donated by a trademark holder after the fake versions were seized by Trading Standards. The department has also donated some fake England football shirts confiscated in the run-up to the World Cup in the summer to the police dog training centre in Kent. The council has made the donations in an attempt to make criminals pay, but also to enable illegal activity to end up to having a positive effect on the community. BRACKNELL & FOREST STANDARD 18/12/2010 UK

Father and his daughter on fake goods charges A MAN and his teenage daughter have appeared in court after police seized more than 1,000 allegedly counterfeit items with a street value of £102,000. Andrew, aged 45, and 19-year old Josie Pollard face Plymouth magistrates to answer 25 joint charges of possessing fake goods for sale at a shop in Stonehouse. A third person, who cannot be name for legal reasons, also faces similar allegations. The trio are all charged with having clothes, jewellery and perfume with false trade marks on October 26 last year. PLYMOUTH HERALD 21/12/2010 UK

SCAMMERS HAVE NOWHERE TO HIDE A HAUL of counterfeit clothes and jewellery was seized in Liverpool in the run-up to Christmas. Trading Standards officers executed a series of raids in December targeting salesman flogging bogus goods. Thousands of pounds worth of fake items were nabbed during the blitz which has run for over three weeks. Clothing, particularly Henley, Juicy Couture, Hugo Boss and Ugg, were among the booty discovered by trading standards. Also popular in the city is jewellery. Tiffany and Pandora are always in demand while boxes of GHD hair straighteners have also been regularly uncovered by investigators. LIVERPOOL ECHO 22/12/2010 UK

Counterfeit traders £300k payback bills A DESIGNER "Del Boy" has been ordered to pay the courts almost £300,000 after selling fake goods. Frederick Lawrence, 70 of Warrior Square, Southend sold copies of expensive Burberry, Umbro, Ted Baker and Reebok gear. He was trading from Morbec Farm, off the A127 at Wickford, when it was raided by trading standards. They found the counterfeit clothing and took Lawrence to court. At Basildon Crown Court in February 2008, he admitted to seven counts of selling counterfeit merchandise and was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. This sparked an investigation by the Asset Recovered Agency and the serious Organised Crime Agency to recover the ill-gotten gains. SOUTHEND, BASILDON & CASTLEPOINT EVENING ECHO (SERIES) 23/12/2010 UK

Airport raids uncover fake designer goods THOUSANDS of fake designer items have been stopped from hitting the Christmas market after they were intercepted at Luton airport. Around eight tonnes of suspected counterfeit items were held by UK Border Agency officers in three separate raids. Among items were 1,500 fake HGD hair straighteners and hair dryers, and approximately 1,400 pairs of counterfeit Ugg boots. Other designer brands discovered included Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, Gucci, Fred Perry, True Religion, Stone Island, Moncler, and La Martina. They had arrived on freight flights from Turkey and were destined for the East End of London and the East Midlands. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 24/12/2010 UK; FINANCIAL TIMES (UK & IRELAND EDITION) 24/12/2010

DON’T BUY FAKE MESSAGE Crimestoppers has launched a new campaign that highlights the links between fake goods and serious organised crime. Not only does buying these goods financially support criminals, but it can also fund other crimes such as drug dealing, people trafficking and prostitution. LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH 27/12/2010 UK

Warning over fake goods link with crime BARGAIN-HUNTERS are helping fund gun crime, people trafficking and drugs, police warned today. The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) said Aberdeen and other Scottish cities were being flooded with fake goods and police said the cash often ends up in the pockets of those behind serious organised crime. ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 29/12/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: November 2010

Counterfeit kills Trading Standard Officers are constantly on the look out for fake products, but a sector which is rarely considered is electrical items - whether it’s chargers, extension cords, cables, lighting circuit breakers, fuses, accessories or switches. None of these items are immune from being counterfeited. ELECTRICAL WHOLESALER 01/11/2010 UK

Trader was selling fake Nike trainers A MARKET trader in Bristol was caught with 153 pairs of fake trainers. Trading standards officers who visited Surinder Singh's Stall at Filton Recreation Centre found the trainers, which could have made him up to £3,600 in profit. Singh, 40, of Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to ten counts of possessing goods with fake trade marks for sale. He was handed a community order involving 120 hours of unpaid work. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 03/11/2010 UK; EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 03/11/2010 UK

Drive to take on smokes danger A crackdown on fake cigarettes and tobacco has been launched. Figures show about a fifth of Walsall people smoke compared to a national average of about 21% but some parts of the borough have even higher rates. Statistics led Walsall Council to launch a new campaign highlighting illegal cigarettes and tobacco sales as well as the health benefits of quitting. They are warning people selling counterfeit cigarettes as environmental health officer’s work from HMRC and the Black Country Tobacco Control Alliance over coming months to raise awareness of health risks posed by cheap counterfeit tobacco. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 05/11/2010 UK

Trader’s £100,000 bill for selling fake clothing A MAN caught selling counterfeit designer clothes from a stall in Penrith open air market has been landed with a bill for £100,000. Mohammed Javed Akhtar, 40, Braeview, Stenhouse-muir, was arrested after trading standards officers raided the stall where he sold sweatshirts, jumpers and sportswear at the popular Saturday market. He later pleaded guilty at Carlisle Crown Court to possessing and selling clothes with bogus trademarks and was ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid community work. Back in court on Wednesday Akhtar faced proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act. He admitted benefiting from his crimes to the tune of £79,000. LAKE DISTRICT HERALD 06/11/2010 UK

City student made £100k out of fake sat-nav maps A business studies student made £100,000 by selling memory cards with counterfeit software maps for car sat navs through Amazon. University of Derby student Mohammed Asghar ran the "sophisticated" scam from his bedroom at his parent's home in Pear Tree. The 21 year-olds products were programmed with out-of- date versions of TomTom's digital maps for other countries that could be inserted into sat-navs. He claimed they were TomTom products and told police he was using the money to pay University fees. Derby Crown Court heard that Asghar’s fraudulent business was discovered by TomTom in May 2009 when the company had a complaint from a customer who had bought a product from Asghar, via Amazon. DERBY TELEGRAPH 08/11/2010 UK; DERBY EXPRESS 11/11/2010 UK

Fake vodka factory found A HUGE fake vodka factory has been uncovered after a fire at a warehouse. Twenty-five thousand litres of counterfeit 'Smirnoff' vodka were unearthed after fire crews were called to a suspicious blaze in Honey Street, Cheetham Hill. They contacted officers from HMRC who seized the moonshine. Officials believe the plant at the derelict, two-storey factory could have been the region's capital of counterfeit booze. It included bottling and labelling machinery alongside vats of the counterfeit vodka, and could have been used to distribute the contraband across the region. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 09/11/2010 UK

Contraband tobacco ring is smashed Police smashed a £250,000 contraband operation when they raided a farm deep in rural Staffordshire. Rhona Campbell, prosecuting, said three men were inside the building at Bank Farm, from Blithbury and all of them were arrested. One of the men, Mark Stansbie, was actually feeding tobacco leaves into the shredder when officers entered on November 19, 2008. In the building were ten boxes each containing 200 kilos of raw tobacco - a total weight of more than two tonnes. The loss of excise duty to HMRC was put a £241,458. Stansbie, aged 42, of Farnborough Road, Castle Vale who admitted a charge of evading duty, was given a 12 month sentence suspended for 18 months. UTTOXETER ADVERTISER 10/11/2010 UK

CIGS BAN WILL THREATEN OUR CORNER SHOPS SHOPKEEPERS across E. Yorkshire fear a Govt ban on the display of tobacco could threaten the future of traditional corner shops. Mail investigations revealed retailers fear sales of counterfeit and illegally-imported cigarettes will also increase if the law is passed. Under the new proposals, smokers will have to ask shops for their brand of tobacco, which will be kept under the counter. If approved, supermarkets could be required to scrap displays by next October, with small stores following later. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 10/11/2010 UK

Trader spared jail for fake football items A trader from Wolverhampton caught selling counterfeit football club merchandise has been spared a jail sentence but banned from working on market stalls or car boot sales for three years. Trading standards officers seized hundreds of "cheap knock-offs" being sold by Gurdeyal Rhoad at a car boot sale in Cannok. They recovered 10 boxes containing 250 counterfeit baseball caps, 59 t-shirts and 9 jackets bearing the trademarks of Wolves, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool. Trading standards had become suspicious due to the poor quality of the clothing. Rhoad, aged 37, denied five charges of trade mark infringement on July 2 last year, but was found guilty by a jury following a trial a Stafford Crown Court and ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 10/11/2010 UK; CANNOCK CHASE POST 18/11/2010 UK

Dodgy trader fined with thousands of fake trainers A dodgy trader who was caught with thousands of pounds worth of fake trainers destined for Wembley Market has been fined and ordered to do community service. Brent Magistrates' Court heard Ahmed Safi, from east London, had around 360 fake Nike and Prada trainers which would have been worth £27,000 if genuine in his van when he was nabbed on entering the world-renowned Sunday market. Brent and Harrow Trading Standards Services teamed up with Tarkington Safer Neighbourhood Team, HMRC and the vehicle and Operator Services Agency. KILBURN TIMES 11/11/2010 UK

Trading Standards officers fake goods actions Residents in Powys could face legal action for using online auction sites to sell counterfeit goods, council bosses have warned. Powys County Council's trading standards department said it would be cracking down on anyone caught selling fake goods online. Councillor Graham Brown, board member responsible for public protection, said it would be keeping a close eye on those who break the law. He said: "We support legitimate business and local tax payers by targeting illegal economic activities such as product counterfeiting which only seeks to further destabilise our local economy". SHROPSHIRE STAR (SERIES) 11/11/2010 UK

Four arrested as bootleg goods seized at store Four people have been arrested in raids on shops in King's Lynn, in which bootleg cigarettes and alcohol worth £20,000, along with suspect stolen goods were seized. At Kubus, a mini-supermarket in Norfolk Street, more than 75,000 cigarettes, along with 30 kilos of tobacco and a quantity of counterfeit alcohol were recovered. Police also seized bedding sets, clothing and cosmetics, which officers believed to be stolen. At the Kubus shop in London Road 14,000 cigarettes and 21 kilos of counterfeit tobacco were seized. EASTERN DAILY PRESS 12/11/2010 UK

Warning over online fakes ONLINE shoppers have been warned to be wary after reports of people receiving counterfeit goods. Staffordshire County Council's Trading Standards team was contacted by people who had been sent fake iPods and UGG boots, which were being sold as genuine. Officials say the sale of counterfeit clothes and electrical items online is becoming more prevalent. Scam websites sometimes use a domain name that falsely suggests they are UK-based and customers who believe they are buying genuine goods are often left with inferior items. Officials advised shoppers to be aware of deals that seem too good to be true, have no geographic contact address, and only accept payment through money transfer services. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 12/11/2010 UK; BURTON MAIL 13/11/2010 UK ; NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 15/11/2010 UK; CANNOCK CHASE POST 18/11/2010 UK

Crooked dealer is told to hand over profits of £110,000 A DISHONEST dealer who sold dangerous counterfeit laptop chargers from his office has been ordered to repay the £110,000 he gained illegally. John Evan supplied fake and electrically faulty computer accessories through his firm PC Laptop Garage, at the Workshop, in warden Avenue, and online at www, laptop- chargers.co.uk. He was advertising Chinese copies worth only £4 as genuine brands, such as Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, Dell and Hewlett Packard, and selling them for £40 each. Undercover purchases were made by Brent and Harrow Trading Standards officers via the internet and in person. FULHAM GAZETTE 12/11/2010 UK

Fake fags warning RESIDENTS in E. Staffordshire have responded to Staffordshire County Council's call to report possible counterfeit cigarettes which could harm people's health and help to fund organised crime. A fake hotline and website has been set up so people can report any concerns or suspicions about possible sales of counterfeit cigarettes. The County Council's trading standards team will follow up the calls and investigate the information given. Anyone who has information of counterfeit cigarette sales should call the fakes hotline anonymously on 01785 330356 or go to www.staffordshire.gov.uk/fakes. UTTOXETER ADVERTISER 13/11/2010 UK

£4 Billion bootleg presents Thousands of dodgy goods are being sold on market stalls, the internet and in high street shops to tempt families unable to afford the real thing. But even more sinister than the counterfeit gifts are the trade in bogus booze and cheap cigarettes. Investigators have seized lethal vodka and cigarettes containing rat poison. Ruth Orchard, Director General of the Anti-counterfeiting Group (ACG), warned: Millions of low-quality counterfeit products will be flooding the country in time for Christmas, particularly in markets, car boot sales and online. PEOPLE, THE 14/11/2010 UK

Student caught out selling fake football jerseys A SWANSEA student was caught selling fake American football merchandise at the city's 2009 Christmas market. Ronald Gwenzi had counterfeit jerseys and hats for brands including New York Giants and Chicago Bears when trading standards officers began investigating his goods in December last year. Swansea Magistrate's Court heard Gwenzi's stall was in the market street. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 16/11/2010 UK

Crackdown on fake goods at a markets CHESHIRE East Council has joined a campaign to stop fake goods being sold in local markets ahead of the busy Christmas shopping period. The authority has signed the Real Deal charter, announcing its refusal to allow counterfeit goods to be bought and sold at Cheshire East markets. The charter is the brainchild of the Industry Trust for Intellectual Property (IP) Awareness which helps local authorities tackle the sale of counterfeit goods on markets and car boot sales. The campaign will offer support and advice to local traders and urge both retailers and shoppers to report any concerns they may have regarding the sale of fake products. CREWE CHRONICLE 17/11/2010 UK

Amnesty on fake goods is part of new campaign A COUNTERFEIT goods amnesty is due to take place in Derby for the public to hand in fake products which they may have bought. People will be able to hand in the goods in the foyer of the Council House, in Corporation Street, from 2pm. The event is part of a campaign by Derbyshire Crimestoppers, which have linked up with Trading Standards to tackle counterfeiting and raise awareness of its links with organised crime. Derbyshire Crimestoppers said that with Christmas approaching and the effects of the recession still hitting hard, there is a greater temptation to buy fake goods. In the recent You Gov survey 30% of people questioned in the East Midlands region said they had bought a fake item of branded clothing. DERBY TELEGRAPH 18/11/2010 UK

'Fakes' trader is tagged by court A man caught by trading standards officers selling thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit Premiership football clothing at Saredon car boot sale, has been ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work. Gurdeyal Rhoad was caught red handed by Staffordshire County Council's trading standards team following an investigation at the car boot sale on Mill Lane on July 2 last year. Rhoad, 37, from Wolverhamton, appeared at Stafford Crown Court last Tuesday for sentencing, after being convicted following a four day trial last month. CANNOCK CHASE POST 18/11/2010 UK

Online shoppers told: 'beware of fake goods' Cannock folk shopping online are being warned to be vigilant, following reports from residents who have received counterfeit goods. Staffordshire County Council trading standards team was contacted by people who have received fake iPods and UGG boots which were being sold as genuine. The sale of counterfeit clothes and electrical items online is becoming more prevalent. Websites sometimes used a domain name that falsely suggests they are UK-based. Counterfeiting is illegal, can fund international organised crime and is harmful to business and the economy. CANNOCK CHASE POST 18/11/2010 UK

Markets campaign against fake goods TWO of the Bridlington area's largest markets have joined a campaign to combat the sale of counterfeit goods and other illegal products. East Riding of Yorkshire Council's Trading Standards departments and organisations that administer markets at Skirlington and Strawberry Fields, Bridlington, will sign up to the National Real Deal Initiative on Monday. At the heart of the Real Deal campaign is a national markets charter which sets out key principles for market operators, local authorities trading standards services, and industry and trademark representative to sign up to and abide by. BRIDLINGTON FREE PRESS 18/11/2010 UK

Beware of risky toys and stylers FAKE and unsafe toys remain a problem on the streets of Warrington according to trading standards chiefs. In the lead up to Christmas, officers received a large number of complaints about unsafe goods. WARRINGTON GUARDIAN 18/11/2010 UK

SHOP THE DODGY DEALERS NOW! Police and trading standards experts have teamed up to encourage anyone offered dodgy designer goods to shop them in a bid to keep counterfeits off the streets. Renfrewshire Council's trading standards team has been involved in incinerating hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fake CDs, DVDs and tobacco over the past year. And more than £175,000 worth of fake footwear, clothes and accessories have also been handed over to a homeless charity to rebrand them and hand them out to homeless people. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 19/11/2010 UK

FAKE FAGS WAR! COUNTERFEIT cigarettes and the gangs peddling them in Burnley are being targeted in the workplace. The crackdown in Burnley has been organised with Lancashire County Council and jointly with Lancashire Primary Care Trust, as part of its Save a Million Years of Life campaign which aims to improve life expectancy in E Lancashire. The campaign has seen shops leafleted, posters displayed in prominent sites throughout Lancashire, and several prosecutions of traders selling illegal tobacco. Now, they are taking the battle to the work places of Burnley and Padiham. The workplace initiative involves emailing information packs to the larger companies on how to spot fakes and guards against illegal activity within their business. BURNLEY EXPRESS (FRIDAY) 19/11/2010 UK

£250k fake games haul FAKE computer games worth £250,000 have been seized by officers in a raid on a factory in Lanarkshire. The counterfeit goods were found in an early morning swoop on the building in Blantyre, part of a joint operation between trading standards, police and customs officers. It's thought the haul which also netted a quantity of drugs - is one of the biggest recovered in Scotland. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 19/11/2010 UK

10bn FAGS SMUGGLED More than 10billion cigarettes are smuggled into the UK every year. Gangs can make up to £15million from one lorry load and the trade costs the UK £33.5 billion a year in lost tax. Some counterfeit fags come from as far as China and can contain RAT DROPPINGS. Other imitation "cheap white" brands such as Raquel, Palace and Gold Classic are well known in pubs and clubs. Part of the problem is the huge contrast in tax levied on cigarettes. UK fags typically cost £6.30 a pack against £3.35 in Italy and just £1.83 in Poland. SUN, THE 19/11/2010 UK

Dodgy traders are hawking fake Pandora jewellery FANS of Pandora jewellery are being warned to beware of buying fake goods from dodgy traders after counterfeit products were seized in NE Lincolnshire. Fakes of other branded products have also been obtained in recent months, including Shure microphones and Ped Eggs. People who produce and sell fake goods focus on brands which are popular with consumers. Fakes are made to appear to be the real thing but they are invariably of inferior quality and made even more dangerous. In the most recent cases uncovered by the council, imitation goods were being sold via the internet. Trading Standards officers are investigating the cases further and have a range of options open to them, including prosecution, issuing a formal caution, or warning those involved. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 20/11/2010 UK

Fury at iPhoney bungle AN iPhone customer who accidentally broke his mobile was sent a replacement with "fake" parts by his insurance company. Aircraft engineer Brett Boyce received the dodgy substitute after he dropped his £500 gadget. He had claimed for a new phone on the free insurance that comes with his premium Lloyds TSB bank account. Brett, 35, said: "The touch screen didn't work properly and I was having to charge the phone twice a day." Experts at an Apple store near his Bristol home told him some of the iPhone parts were counterfeit. Dad-of-three Brett complained to LSG, the company that handles repairs for Lloyds TSB - and it sent him ANOTHER handset with non-original components. LSG has now offered a refund. A bank spokesman said the iPhone warranty was backed by a reputable repair chain. Apple did not comment. SUN, THE 22/11/2010 UK

Smoking out counterfeit cigarettes TRADING Standards officers in the Capital have been issued with two new machines which can detect counterfeit cigarette packets. The machines read the magnetic strips placed on packets by the manufacturers, helping identify fakes being sold in shops. The devices which cost £200 each and have not been used in Scotland before display a red light when the strips are found to be counterfeit. Trading Standards officers will carry out spot checks with the devices at Edinburgh shops, as well as responding to tip-offs from members of the public who report where illegal products may be for sale. EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS 23/11/2010 UK

Home raids for drug and fakes PEOPLE suspected of using their home as a hiding place for dodgy goods and drugs were today given a harsh wake-up call by police and HMRC. Battering rams in hand, officers this morning simultaneously when into six properties believed to have links to the supply of counterfeit and illegally imported goods, drugs and stolen property. Police arrested several people. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 24/11/2010 UK

DONT BE TEMPTED BY FAKES A FESTIVE campaign to tackle counterfeiting has been launched in Teesside. Volunteers from Cleveland Crimestoppers and the Charity's youth board held a "fakes" market stall at Teesside University in a bid to raise awareness of counterfeiting and its consequences. And a dedicated microsite www.fakesfundcrime.org.uk has also been set up featuring information about serious organised crime links to counterfeit. EVENING GAZETTE (MIDDLESBROUGH) 25/11/2010 UK

Keep an eye open for fakes AS THE festive season approaches, devious scammers are trying to con the unsuspecting victims out of their money, by selling fake goods and carrying out distraction burglaries. FAKE condoms are being sold in Croydon newsagents leading trading standards bosses to issue an urgent warning to amorous couples. Boxes of bogus condoms, fake champagne and vodka were discovered after a sweep of newsagents across the borough. Croydon Trading Standards boss Alan Philips warned couples it is difficult to tell the fake condoms from the real thing. CROYDON ADVERTISER 26/11/2010 UK; CROYDON ADVERTISER SERIES 30/11/2010 UK

Fake goods campaign backed by town pubs Posters highlighting the potential harmful effects of buying fake goods have been handed out by police officers to managers of pubs and clubs in Northampton town centre. Northamptonshire police is supporting a Crimestoppers campaign to warn traders and shoppers about the problems associated with counterfeit goods. Yesterday, Supt Gideon, Springer led a walkabout in Northampton Town Centre during which posters were handed out to pub landlords and club managers in the Market Square. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 26/11/2010 UK

Fake vodka lands shopkeeper a fine A DAGENHAM shopkeeper is counting the cost of selling fake vodka. A customer alerted Barking and Dagenham trading standards after becoming ill from drinking some of the vodka, marked 'Glen's'. He bought it from an off licence in Whalebone Lane South last year. Tests confirmed the vodka was counterfeit and a later check showed the shop was still selling fake spirits. Shopkeeper Ike Madu told Snaresbrook Crow Court he bought the batch of vodka from cash and carry. He pleaded guilty to breaching the 1990 Food Safety Act and the 1994 Trademarks Act. He was fined £325 with £4,000 costs. NEWS (BARKING & DAGENHAM) 27/11/2010 UK

Fake goods alert CRIMESTOPPERS has begun a Christmas campaign against buying counterfeit goods. Officials are trying to get the message across that buying fake goods funds serious crime. Susan Knaggs, chairman of Durham Crimestoppers, said: "Christmas is a time when many are trying to find ways to reduce costs. I urge the public not to be tempted to buy cheap fake goods. The consequences are far wider than the simple transaction. It can fund serious crime such as human trafficking." CONSETT & STANLEY ADVERTISER 27/11/2010 UK

Couple in 80k eBay scam SELLING counterfeit goods online may have netted a couple more than £80,000. Christian Cassidy admitted running a fraudulent business when he appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court. Gary Reynolds, prosecuting, said: Cassidy sold items on eBay which he claimed were signed by various sports stars. WALES DAILY POST 27/11/2010 UK

Council launches blitz on festive bootleggers SHOPPERS were today warned to watch out for fake 'bargain' presents. It came as trading standards bosses seized £200,000 of counterfeit goods in a raid in Glasgow. They said rip-off merchants had smuggled fake Rolex watches, Links of London jewellery and Ugg boots into the city. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 27/11/2010 UK

Raids seized illegal alcohol ALMOST 300 litres of illicit alcohol was seized during a crackdown on sales of illegal booze. Wirral council's licensing department, HMRC and UKBA raided off-licences across the borough in the past couple of months. Since September, more than 630 bottles of illicit alcohol, worth almost £6,400 have been confiscated. Nine illegal immigrants were arrested with at least one now facing certain deportation. LIVERPOOL ECHO 27/11/2010 UK

Fashionable fakes help charity beat the chill POOR and homeless Scots are being helped to beat the winter chill by wrapping up in fake designer goods seized from crooks. Instead of cash from the counterfeits going to fund serious crime, the impounded clothes are being distributed to needy causes throughout the country. But the young mums and others needing assistance aren't walking around with the sought-after logos of Lacoste and Fred Perry emblazoned on their gear. Instead the trendy jackets, jumpers and shoes are part of "His" label. All the items are re-branded in a massive operation involving a charity and more than 100 trading standards departments. Goods worth a staggering £15 million have so far been passed on for re-branding to Christian Charity His Church. And with major campaigns being run by Scottish Crimestoppers it’s likely to lead to more major seizures in the busy weeks running up to Christmas. SCOTTISH SUNDAY POST (SERIES) 28/11/2010 UK

Call to boycott fake goods POLICE and Trading Standards have warned Christmas shoppers who buy fake goods that they are helping to fund the activities of dangerous criminals. Detective Inspector Janet Baldwin said: "Many people see counterfeiting as a victimless crime but nothing could be further from the truth. Leaving aside the losses to legitimate companies and the economy, it is a huge source of profit for some very nasty criminals." BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 29/11/2010 UK; LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 26/11/2010 UK

Fake goods seized in crackdown CHRISTMAS shoppers in Bristol are being warned to watch out for counterfeit goods after two vans with £50,000 of fake sportswear were seized. Police arrested four men after the two vehicles filled with fake adidas, Nike, and Ralf Lauren clothing heading for the city were intercepted last week. The raid was led by members of the South West Regional Scambuster team hosted by Bristol City Council and working with the Avon and Somerset Crime interception Team and Officers from Bristol Trading Standards. BRISTOL EVENING POST (2 STAR) 30/11/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: October 2010

Fake goods scam pair jailed A MARKET trader was today jailed for four years after he sent £420,000 to China from a fake goods scam. Stuart Peach, 55, of Church Street, Eastwood, was sentenced at Nottingham Court for running what Trading Standards have described as a "sophisticated" scam. Peach pleaded guilty on August 20 to 15 trademark offences and six counts of sending money made from the sale on the fraudulent goods to China, where they were imported from. A friend, Tony Hall, 40, of Sheepbridge Lane, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to sending £23,000 from the sale of the goods to China. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison. NOTTINGHAM EVENING POST 01/10/2010 UK

LET THE BUYER BEWARE Counterfeit electrical products can cause injury, fire and can kill. BEAMA executive chairman, Dave Dossett, explains why anyone who purchases electrical equipment must play their part and be vigilant in ensuring that they are genuine. The responsibility for ensuring the use of only genuine quality electrical products lies with those specifying, purchasing and installing electrical equipment. Over 10% of the world trade is in counterfeit products and this is also true for electrical equipment, amounting to 2.4 billion Euros (OECD estimated). Annually, around £30 million worth of electrical counterfeits enter the UK market. 90% are made in China - mostly brand name counterfeits/design copies. ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS & APPLICATIONS 01/10/2010 UK

Heathrow fakes seized It has been revealed that counterfeit goods valued at almost £4m have been seized by UK Border Agency officers based at Heathrow Airport in the last three months alone. Among significant finds were 1,300 fake iPhones, 50 bogus iPads and 2,500 pieces of counterfeit designer jewellery worth over £500,000. Batches of labels destined to be stitched on to fake products to make them look real were also discovered. Officers have also stopped over 180,000 counterfeit and unlicensed Viagra tablets from hitting the UK black market. These are worth £1.1m and contain unknown, potentially harmful chemicals, which are unlikely to have the desired effect. POLICE LIFE (UK) 01/10/2010 UK

Bans are slapped on bogus stores AN OFF-LICENCE has been stripped of its licence after being caught selling bogus booze. Shari's, on Shields Road, Byker, Newcastle, was busted during a probe into the trade in counterfeit alcohol. HM Revenues & Customs officers found 806 litres of fake spirit, 328 litres of wine and 2,616 litres of beer. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 02/10/2010 UK

Police airport swoop on counterfeit crooks POLICE battling organised crime are to swoop on airports and ports this week in the fight against the fakes that line gangsters' pockets. Officers from the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency will be warning travellers heading off for the October holiday about counterfeits they may be tempted to buy abroad. Although people are most likely to buy fake goods at home, getting them abroad is the second most popular way to get hold of counterfeits. SCOTTISH SUNDAY POST (SERIES) 03/10/2010 UK; PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 08/10/2010 UK

Over 800 items of suspected fake goods from stalls TRADING standards officials and police officers present at Bridgwater Fair and its market this week seized over 800 items of suspected fake goods from just two stalls. The opening day of the fair saw officials impound a total of 842 items from stalls in the field market including suspected fake designer jewellery, watches and baseball caps. BRIDGWATER MERCURY 05/10/2010 UK

Market man gets curfew A WEMBLEY market trader from Luton pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit goods bearing the names of famous brands such Gucci and Nike following a crackdown by trading standards. Appearing before Brent Magistrates Court, Eric Scotland, 50, of Hampton Road, was given a curfew order and told to pay £250 in court cost after pleading guilty to four counts of possessing counterfeit goods with the intention of distributing them. The court heard Scotland's van was en route to Wembley market when it was stopped and searched at a road block on April 25 as part of a multiagency operation to crack down on rogue traders. LUTON NEWS 06/10/2010 UK

Trader sold counterfeit products, court told A MARKET trader in Kidderminster town centre was selling apparently expensive goods but they proved to be counterfeit, a court heard. John Smith had perfume, sunglasses and clothes on his stall in Vicar Street at knock-down prices. He had a sign stating that they were designer copies but it was hidden from the view of customers. Smith, 65, of Chiseldon Croft, Highters Heath, Birmingham, pleaded guilty at Worcester Crown Court to eight offences of possessing and selling goods with false trading marks. KIDDERMINSTER SHUTTLE 07/10/2010 UK

Market trader's perfume was fake. A MARKET trader was given a suspended jail sentence for selling counterfeit goods, including perfume, sunglasses and clothes, in Kidderminster. John Smith was selling from a town centre stall at knock-down prices. Smith, aged 65, of Chiseldon Croft, Highters Heath, Birmingham admitted eight offences of possessing and selling goods with false trading marks. He was given a nine month jail sentence suspended for two years and told to pay £600 costs. KIDDERMINSTER CHRONICLE 07/10/2010 UK

Passengers targeted in fake goods crackdown A NEW campaign urging travellers to resist the lure of counterfeit goods is getting underway today. With the October break beginning, officers from the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) will be targeting thousands of passengers. A report in 2006 estimated the criminal gangs raked in £90 million from the sale of counterfeits. SCDEA staff supported by the UKBA, were at Glasgow Airport yesterday reminding travellers of the links between fake goods and serious organised crime. It was the first of many awareness- raising events, with officers going to all of Scotland's domestic airports and the Rosyth Ferry Terminal. HERALD, THE (GLASGOW) 08/10/2010 UK; ABERDEEN CITIZEN 20/10/2010 UK

When crime does pay DEPRIVED families and youngsters in Blackpool have been given a helping hand- at the expense of fake goods fraudsters. The His Church charity has worked closely with Blackpool Trading Standards to acquire seized goods they can pass on to organisations that need them most. Instead of Trading Standards paying for the items to be disposed of they opt to give the possessions to charity. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 08/10/2010 UK; SCUNTHORPE EVENING TELEGRAPH 30/10/2010 UK

Investigation found old food still for sale BOOTLEGGED tobacco and booze, unlicensed medicines and food that do not comply with labelling regulations were targeted in a crackdown on counterfeit goods. Cheshire East trading Standards joined Cheshire Police Revenue and Customs and the Department of Health as part of Operation Zest. Six food retailers were visited in Crewe. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 08/10/2010 UK; CREWE & NANTWICH GUARDIAN 14/10/2010 UK

Trader's boot full of fake branded gear A MARKET trader has been forced to pay back £100,000 after he was caught with a van-load of counterfeit clothes. John Betts, 52, was given a six month suspended prison sentence in June last year after admitting selling goods with false trademarks. Now detectives from Humberside Police's economic crime have obtained a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Betts was travelling along the A63, close to St Andrew's Quay, in November 2008 when traffic officers stopped him after noticing a faulty brake light on his Ford Transit van. Officers found his van packed with almost 60,000 cigarettes and several boxes of fake adidas clothing. The van was seized and Betts was arrested. When officers raided his terrace home, they found more than 300 fake adidas, Timberland and Lacoste T-shirts, hooded tops and tracksuits together with more than £1,400 in cash. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 08/10/2010 UK

Counterfeit gang made £280,000 TWO city couples made more than a quarter of a million pounds through selling counterfeit trainers, sports clothing and DVD's. Although the quartet made more than £280,000 from their crimes, less than £19,000 remained to be confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The leader of the scam was Stefan Kotwica, 39, of Linden Road. He had benefited from his crime to the tune of £175,000, said prosecutor Louis Weston. But Kotwica has assets of only £17,500 which can be confiscated, he said. GLOUCESTER CITIZEN 09/10/2010 UK

Fake clothes trader handed curfew A DOWNEND man has admitted selling counterfeit clothes at a market held at Filton recreation ground. Luckwinder Singh, 22, of Badminton Road, appeared at Northavon Magistrates Court and admitted possessing fake clothing for sale. He also asked the court to take into consideration a further 24 similar offences. Singh was sentenced to a four-month community order to pay full costs of £2,924.62 and a forfeiture order was also made for his vehicle and all of the counterfeit stock. The community order was in the form of a curfew that restricts Singh from leaving home between the hours of 7pm and 6am seven days a week. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 12/10/2010 UK

Fake fags getting our kids hooked TOBACCO smuggling in Wales in a threat to public health as well as a loss in tax revenue to the Government, a report says today. Smokers questioned over their attitudes to buying illegal and counterfeit tobacco found younger smokers more likely to buy from the illicit market in cigarettes - fuelling addiction in youngsters. More than half (52%) of 16 to 34 years old admitted buying cheap tobacco compared to 41% of 35 to 54 year-olds, and 36% of the over 55's. Daily Post, Wales 12/10/2010 UK

Warning to e-consumers PEOPLE who shop online are urged to be vigilant about websites which could be selling counterfeit goods or sites which turn out to be fake and disappear with hard-earned cash. During National e-Consumer Week, Trading Standards officers urged residents to take extra care. Research reveals 63% of people fear their card or bank details will get stolen, 10% worry their item won't arrive and 6% are concerned the item will be a fake. Fakes which shoppers are particularly warned about include mobile phones, GHD hair straighteners, Nintendo DS Lite Consoles, video games, clothing, toys, perfumes and cosmetics, alcoholic drinks and cigarettes. Many of the fake version contain dangerous components or may be harmful. CREWE CHRONICLE 13/10/2010 UK

Court told of fake football clothing Fake football merchandise with Wolves' logos was seized at a car boot sale in Staffordshire, jurors heard. Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool-branded baseball caps were on sale alongside T-shirts and jackets in Wolves colours. The stall, was being run by market trader Gurdeyal Rhoad. EXPRESS & STAR SERIES (WEST MIDLANDS) 15/10/2010 UK; EXPRESS & STAR SERIES (WEST MIDLANDS) 15/10/2010 UK; EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 19/10/2010 UK

Interpol’s fake medicine swoop in Clacton POLICE and drug agency enforcers raided an address in Clacton as part of a huge international operation to smash sales of fake medicines on the internet. Investigators in 45 countries across the globe took part in the operation Pangea. Hailed as the biggest of its kind and masterminded by Interpol. The crackdown targeted websites suspected of selling counterfeit and illegal drugs, seizing more than one million pills, worth £1.6million. Almost 700 websites suspected of selling controlled or prescription medicines were monitored. A dozen websites being run from the UK were raided by the Medicines and Health Care Regulatory Agency and local police. COLCHESTER DAILY GAZETTE 15/10/2010 UK; CLACTON GAZETTE 21/10/2010 UK

Market stalls trader sold fake Nikes A MARKET trader who sold fake Nike trainers in Filton has been prosecuted after his stall was targeted by trading standards officers. Surinder Singh, 40, of Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to selling the counterfeit footwear when he appeared at North Avon Magistrates Court. He admitted 10 offences brought under the Trade Mark Act 1994 of possessing the counterfeit shoes for sale. He also asked for similar offences relating to 143 further pairs of fake Nike trainers to be taken into consideration. He is due to be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on November 2. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 16/10/2010 UK

Cigarette haul seized from three flights A STASH of thousands of illegal cigarettes being smuggled into the country has been seized. UK Border Agency officers at Newcastle International Airport have stopped a consignment of more than 170,000 cigarettes being smuggled into the country over the last few days. The cigarettes were seized from passengers on three separate flights. The first happened on Thursday, October 14, when offices stopped a man in his 20s as he attempted to pass through customs with 20,000 cigarettes in his suitcase. The second incident took place in Saturday, when officials stopped four men and two women, who were travelling together from the Canary Islands and had a total of 110,000 cigarettes in their luggage. SUNDERLAND ECHO 21/10/2010 UK

Fake goods seized in undercover market op A JOINT operation between police and Trading Standards saw 250 counterfeit items seized from Coed Mawr Market, Greenfield. Five trading standards officers, along with police officers, took part in the cover operation at the popular market on Sunday. FLINTSHIRE CHRONICLE 21/10/2010 UK

Net shoppers warning over cloned sites ONLINE shoppers are being caught out by cloned websites. Con-artists have fleeced scores of people across Essex by making their sites increasingly realistic. A warning has been issued by Southend crime and Disorder Partnership about the scams. One of the worst hit companies has been Ugg Australia, which sell sheep-skin boots. It is now almost impossible to find the genuine site via Google, and scores of sites have stolen the copyrighted images. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 22/10/2010 UK

Fake goods are seized MORE than a tonne of fake goods were seized from dodgy market sellers during a police and trading standards sting. The initiative, code-named 'Operation Incentive' was launched in response to complaints from legitimate businesses that they were losing thousands of pounds to criminal counterfeit gangs. A Warwickshire CC Trading Standards Service team and Warwickshire Police gathered intelligence on the activities of suspected fake goods traders and stopped them in their vehicles as they travelled to weekend market. They seized 2,000 individual items, the majority of which was fake clothing, with an estimated counterfeit value of £37,580. NUNEATON NEWS 22/10/2010 UK; STRATFORD UPON AVON MIDWEEK 26/10/2010 UK

Illegal tobacco health warning THE ILLEGAL tobacco trade and its links with organised crime was the focus of a summit in Perth yesterday. Police, health representatives and retailers attended the one day conference at the town's concert hall. Speakers included D/S Sergeant Allan Orr of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency. D/S Orr warned the production of counterfeit cigarettes was not a victimless trade and said those behind it were often involved in drug dealing and human trafficking. Discussions at the summit will form the basis of the report to be presented to the Scottish Government. In the UK the illicit market share is estimated to be 12% for cigarettes and 48% for hand rolling tobacco. DUNDEE COURIER & ADVERTISER (SERIES) 22/10/2010 UK

Fake washing powder smugglers ordered to repay more than £37k. FIVE men convicted for their part in smuggling fake washing powder into the country and storing it in a Cheshire warehouse have been ordered to hand over more than £37,000. Earlier this year, Martin Forrester, Justin Campbell and Michael Baggeley were sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty. John Charlesworth and Nicholas Moult were both given six month prison sentences suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work. A sixth man, Richard Brayford was jailed for two years for the same offence. LEADER (CHESTER) 23/10/2010 UK

Fake vodka sold A SHOPPER has been fined for stocking fake vodka at his Mill Hill store. Ashok Malik, who ran In-n-Out in the Broadway, pleaded guilty to stocking 24 bottles of imitation Glen’s vodka at Wood Green Crown Court last Thursday. He was caught after a customer called Barnet Council trading standards officers to complain about the substance inside the bottle. Officers seized the entire stock, and tests showed it had a make up very close to vodka, and which would not have been harmful to drink. Mr Malik was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay £6,000 in court costs. HENDON TIMES SERIES 23/10/2010 UK

Illegal ciggies seized in home swoops FAKE fags have been seized in house raids on Tyneside. Police and Council officers stormed two homes on Gateshead's Springwell Estate, finding hundreds of counterfeit cigarettes and packets intended for foreign markets. The raids, involving police and Gateshead Council trading standards, were part of a crackdown on so-called "tab houses" (properties where cut-price smuggled or fake cigarettes and tobacco are sold from). The haul included 1,200 Jin Ling cigarettes, made specifically for the illegal market, and 141 packets of hand rolled, which may have been manufactured legally but only for distribution abroad. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 25/10/2010 UK

Directors fined for dangerous goods The director of a Blackpool shop who was selling "dangerous" pirate goods has been fined more than £5,000. When Blackpool trading standards raided the Pound store, on Church Street in Central Blackpool, they found a large quantity of fake and substandard items they feared could injure members of the public. Blackpool Council prosecuted Sameer Sodawala, director of commerce Excel Ltd, after discovering he was conning shoppers into buying fake money boxes, bean bags and foot treatment products. Counterfeit bean bags with Manchester United and Liverpool football club logos had been made out of curtains. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 27/10/2010 UK

Fakes burn cig sales ONE of the worlds biggest cigarette firm is loosing out for counterfeit rivals. BRITTISH AMERICAN TOBACCO - home of lucky Strike and Palm Mall said sales across Europe were being hit as smokers trade down. Many are snapping up counterfeit or illicit fags which are cheaper as they escape duty. Volumes across the group are down three per cent in the past nine months with a nine per cent fall in Western Europe. BAT chief exec Paul Adams said: "The recession's impact on consumers is still with as and shows no signs of abating." BAT said the biggest problem with counterfeit fags was in Romania and Turkey. But admitted the number of illicit cigs coming into the UK is also up. SUN, THE 28/10/2010 UK

Good amnesty CUMBRIA Trading Standards has announced a three-month amnesty on counterfeit goods from Monday. During the amnesty, which will run until January 31, anyone in possession of quantities of counterfeit goods of any type can sign them over to any trading standards office or library in Cumbria without fear of being prosecuted. For details on where and how to surrender goods call 01229 404040 or email [email protected]. WESTMORLAND GAZETTE 28/10/2010 UK; LAKE DISTRICT HERALD 06/11/2010 UK

FAKE DESIGNER BOOTY SEIZED THOUSANDS of pounds worth of fake designer goods has been seized by UKBA officers at Stansted. More than a dozen shipments were sent to the UK holding more than £100,000 of Ugg boots, Nike trainers and straighteners. They were all sent by the same Chinese exporter this month headed for addresses around the country. Tony Karet, senior detection manager for the UKBA said: "When the parcels were opened it was fairly clear that these were cheap and, in the case of the straighteners, potentially dangerous counterfeits. STANSTED SKYPORT 29/10/2010 UK

CIGARETTE STASH IS SEIZED BY POLICE IN RAID A HAUL of nearly 9,000 black market cigarettes has been seized by police from a Burton corner shop. Staffordshire Police discovered the knock-off goods at Queen's Supermarket, in Horninglow Road North although the store's co-owner has denied selling the items from the premises. Officers found 8,840 illegal cigarettes and 5.1kg of tobacco, including popular brands illegally imported without tax being paid, as well as so-called 'cheap whites' brands manufactured by criminal gangs purely for smuggling. The haul was brought to Burton Police Station and was today due to be collected by HMRC, which will be carrying out an investigation. (HMRC) spokesman Jennie Kendal said illegal tobacco products drained around £2 billion a year from the public purse and urged smokers not to buy them. BURTON MAIL 30/10/2010 UK; BURTON & SOUTH DERBYSHIRE ADVERTISER 03/11/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: September 2010

Fake cigs found in container A HAUL of 800,000 counterfeit cigarettes has been found hidden in a container heading for Southend. Officials from the UK Border Agency intercepted the cigarettes stashed in a container at Felixstowe port Suffolk. It was meant to be carrying furniture, but an X-ray showed a discrepancy with the load and when it was opened the cigarettes were found. The cigarettes, which came from China, will now be shredded. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 01/09/2010 UK

Police raided bank holiday market FAKE designer clothes worth £300,000 were seized during a bank holiday raid on counterfeit goods at Brighton Racecourses’ open air market. Four people were arrested on suspicion of peddling counterfeit goods following the raid. Other stallholders, fearing they too were going to be targeted, fled after they saw the police. One seller, whose stall was next to the one first raided, left without packing up. As well as leaving all of his goods on his table he also abandoned two vans packet with unsold goods. BRIGHTON ARGUS 01/09/2010 UK

Illegal boozed after tip-off HUNDREDS of bottles of potentially dangerous counterfeit vodka were seized from a warehouse in Barking. Customs and Trading Standards officers raided the premises on August 10 after a tip-off. Inside the building was a pallet containing 114 cases of counterfeit Smirnoff vodka. In total there were 684 70cl bottles of spirits with a retail value of £9,000. The drink was seized by her Majesty's Revenues and Customs (HMRC) and tests were carried out, which confirmed the vodka was not genuine Smirnoff and that the labels were copies. HMRC will now decide whether to pursue legal action against the warehouse owner. The vodka will be destroyed. BARKING & DAGENHAM POST 01/09/2010 UK; EAST LONDON ENQUIRER 02/09/2010 UK

Counterfeit haul ALMOST £4million of counterfeit goods have been seized at Heathrow Airport in the last three months, the UK border Agency said today. The haul included 1,300 fake iPhones and more than 1million unlicensed Viagra tables. COLCHESTER DAILY GAZETTE 01/09/2010 UK; ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 10/09/2010 UK; IRISH NEWS (BELFAST) 10/09/2010 UK; EXPRESS & STAR LATE FINAL (DUDLEY) 10/09/2010 UK; YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 10/09/2010 UK; PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH 10/09/2010 UK; TEESSIDE EVENING GAZETTE 10/09/2010 UK

Penkridge market is raeal deal say boss PENKBRIDGE market has signed up to a national scheme to fight the fakers as part of its zero tolerance over counterfeit goods. The market, which is open twice a week, regularly hosts more than 100 stalls and its current managers have worked closely with Staffordshire Trading Standards since they took the reins in the early 1990s. But they have reinforced their commitment to ensuring customers are not sold fake goods by signing up to the Real Deal, a new national scheme supported by organisations including Consumer Direct and Crimestoppers. STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) 02/09/2010 UK

Fake vodka seized at warehouse HUNDREDS of bottles of potentially dangerous counterfeit vodka have been seized from a warehouse in Barking. Barking and Dagenham Council's trading standards team carried out a raid on the lock up on 10 August in a joint operation with HMRC after receiving a tip off. Inside they found a pallet containing 114 cases of counterfeit Smirnoff vodka. In total there were 684 70cl bottles of the dodgy booze with a retail value of around £9,000. The vodka was seized and will be destroyed. Tests carried out confirmed that the alcohol was not genuine Smirnoff and that the labels were fake. EAST LONDON ENQUIRER 02/09/2010 UK

Counterfeiter A COUNTERFEITER behind a scam involving bogus brand name clothes worth millions of pounds has been jailed for two years. Kanran Ghori, 34, traded the fakes on eBay, an urban clothes website and shop in Whitechapel. Gary Pons, prosecuting, told Snaresbrook Crown Court, trading standards officers made test purchases after seeing the clothes for sale on the internet auction site at low prices. When the goods were found to be false officers raided Ghori's high-tech headquarters in Assam Street, Withechapel, where 6,240 items worth £606,000 were found. EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 02/09/2010 UK; ILFORD RECORDER SERIES 02/09/2010 UK; ILFORD RECORDER SERIES 02/09/2010 UK

Market in fake goods crackdown DODGY dealers are being frozen out at Leeds market as council and trading standards bosses get tough on rogue traders peddling fakes. Yesterday Leeds City Council signed up to the Real Deal national market charter. The charter is gained by councils and markets working to be fake-free zones and barring anyone found to be selling counterfeit and other illegal goods. Markets in Leeds will now be able to display the Real Deal logo after introducing strict vetting procedures. Cllr. Mark Dobson said: "It is fantastic that we are able to sing up to the Real Deal partnership with west Yorkshire Trading Standards to protect our market business and customers. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 02/09/2010 UK

It's pay back time for cheat market trader A MARKET trader has been ordered to pay back £254,000 of his illegal earnings of face further three years behind bars, writes Andrew Cheng. Nazakat Hussain, of Hospital Street, West Midlands, sold counterfeit items, including Nike trainers, at Wembley Market and was convicted in September 2009 to two years in prison for the offence. The 36 year-old was released after serving only nine months but was slapped with a confiscation order to pay back his illegal earnings after Brent and Harrow Trading Standards (BHTS) found that Mr Hussain amassed three houses, a business premise, a six series BMW convertible and thousands of pounds in various bank accounts. KILBURN TIMES 02/09/2010 UK

Three arrested in off-licence raid Officers searching a Norbiton off-licence for stolen goods got three for the price of one when they arrested a customer and delivery driver who happened to be in the shop for separate alleged offences. On Wednesday, August 26, officers from the newly-formed Kingston town centre team and customs officers arrested the manager and licence holder of Coombe Food and Wine on suspicion of handling stolen goods. He was bailed until September 22. SURREY COMET 03/09/2010 UK

Market warning to fake traders FAKE goods traders are being warned to stay away from Wakefield markets. Council chiefs have signed up to the Real Deal national markets charter. The charter is gained by council's and markets that demonstrate a commitment to keeping their market as a fake-free zone and by barring anyone found to be trading in counterfeit and other illegal products. Working closely with officers from West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service, the council has introduced stringent vetting procedures to ensure that counterfeit goods are not sold. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 09/09/2010 UK

Net opens door to knock-off Britain SOME 8million shoppers have knowingly bought fake goods online, an investigation has revealed. Dodgy dealers are cleaning up in an £11billion industry fuelled by thrifty consumers who want the designer label more than quality goods. But websites offering counterfeit goods are often run by criminal gangs who might be out to steal credit card details from shoppers and have links to people smugglers or even terrorism, warn Moneybookers.com. 'Buying counterfeit goods may seem harmless but it costs legitimate businesses money', said a spokesman for the payment services company. METRO LONDON (INC, BRIGHTON) 10/09/2010 UK

Counterfeit cigs man is bailed THE CASE of a man accused of selling counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco has been adjourned again. Dana Kadir Ahmed is accused of possessing 1,870 counterfeit cigarettes and 2,650g of knock-off tobacco with intent to sell it at Williams News in Huddersfield Town Centre. Ahmed, 21, of Springdale Street, Thornton Lodge, was bailed to appear before Huddersfield Magistrates on September 13. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 10/09/2010 UK

Teen's scalp burned by counterfeit hair tongs TRADING standards officers have warned of dangerous fake hair straighteners after a teenager was left with melted locks and singed scalp. Rebecca Day, 17, from Leicester, brought the tongs, which she believed to be made by GHD, from a website but was left in agony when she first used them. "These straighteners singed my hair and ripped it away from the roots", she said: "I was in agony. The experience has put me off buying from a website". Leicestershire trading standards, which has so far seized 40 sets of counterfeit straighteners, said some can heat up to 285C - hot enough to seriously burn someone's scalp. HERALD, THE (GLASGOW) 11/09/2010 UK; IRISH EXAMINER, THE (EIRE) 11/09/2010 Ireland; DUNDEE COURIER & ADVERTISER (SERIES) 11/09/2010 UK; YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 11/09/2010 UK

Designer fakes rise WEBSITES selling fake designer gear are getting more than 120million hits a year - half the amount of the genuine sites. Brand protection firm MarkMonitor said scammers buy domains featuring designer names, then pass them off as genuine discount outlets. It results in thousands of Brits unwittingly buying rip-offs. Suspect sites rose 23% in a year, including 6,700 counterfeit sellers for five luxury brands. MarkMonitor said: Fraudsters dismiss rules of professional conduct. SUN, THE 13/09/2010 UK

Boss jailed for oil parts scam A CITY businessman wept in the dock as he was jailed for trying to sell more than half a million pounds of counterfeit oil drilling equipment. Adrian Belson 56, of Oundle Road, Peterborough, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and his firm fined £20,000 by Peterborough Crown Court yesterday. The Court heard how he had agreed a contract worth £592,000 through his company Gripp Belgique to supply oil drilling parts to Bhartie Brothers, Dubai-based drilling firm. 13/09/2010

10,000 FAKE CLOTHES SEIZED IN RAID Trading Standards officers have seized a 10,000 haul of counterfeit clothing from a Bradford shop following an anonymous tip-off. Undercover officers went into the shop on the pretext of buying cigarettes and found items of clothing pilled up on hangers, as well as parcels of clothes with names on ready for collection or delivery. Trading Standards chief said the fake sports clothes imitated brands such as adidas, Nike Lyle and Scott, Henley, Paul and Shark and G-Star. Items included jumpers, T-shirts, jeans and hooded tops. The haul has an estimated value of £10,000. BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS 13/09/2010 UK

Dodgy gold gang target M74 drivers BRAZEN scam artists are targeting Lancashire drivers and duping then into buying worthless fake gold jewellery. The organised crime gang has already conned two drivers into paying £100 for the 'gold' tat with a sob story about being stranded without enough petrol money to visit a sick relative. Motorists have been targeted on the southbound slip road at Canderside Toll, junction 8 of the M74, in Larkhall. Police have warned people to be on their guard and report any similar occurrences. In the first incident, last week, a man in a silver Mercedes Benz E-Class, parked on the slip road, flagged down a driver at 2.15pm. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 15/09/2010 UK

Counterfeit goods Police and Trading Standards officers have seized thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit goods after swooping on a car boot sale in Brean. More than twenty boxes of goods such as sunglasses, wallets and watches were taking away from Brean market last week as part of a joint operation. Inspector Roger Tolley, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: "this was part of an outgoing operation we are doing with Trading Standards. "In some cases the selling of counterfeit goods can have some links with organized crime. We check every car boot sale in the area, and want to make it clear that if you are selling counterfeit goods there is a good chance we will find you." WESTON, WORLE & SOMERSET MERCURY 16/09/2010 UK

Counterfeit clothing put to good use by charity TONS of counterfeit goods have been seized from the hands of criminals and distributed among Lincoln's homeless. Local charity His Church has sorted, graded and re-branded counterfeit clothing to give to the needy in Lincoln. Items including tracks suits, sweat-shirts, trainers and socks were re-branded with a His Church logo and given to various charities, including the Nomad Trust and the Amigos Project, which is part of the New Life Church. The goods had all been seized by the police and Lincolnshire County Council's Trading Standards as part of ongoing counterfeit operations. LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO 16/09/2010 UK

Safety warning over dangerous hair straighteners TRADING standards officers have issued a warning about fake hair straighteners which can burn people's hair and scalps. The warning has come after residents in North West Leicestershire complained of having their hair melted by counterfeit GHD straighteners. Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards has 40 straighteners, some of which heat up to a scorching 28°C. David Bull, Leicestershire County Council's head of trading standards, said: "Always buy electrical products from a reputable dealer and check all paperwork and guarantees. If anyone who believes they have fake hair straighteners should contact trading standards as soon as possible. BURTON MAIL 16/09/2010 UK

Perma tan man red faced by fag factory A MALE model faces the shame of community service for his role in an illegal tobacco factory. Anthony George Scothorne, also known as 'Sunbed Tony' because of his permanent tan, was said to be 'a small cog' in an operation at an Armthorpe industrial unit which could have cost the Revenue and Customs more than £200,000 in lost duty. The 61-year old retired former Coal Board manager is too frightened to name the other man involved in the counterfeit Golden Virginia factory, his barrister told Doncaster Crown Court. DONCASTER FREE PRESS 16/09/2010 UK

'Dodgy' Disney toys sale case A man accused of selling pirate toys including Thomas the Thank Engine, Batman and Mickey Mouse at Blackpool Gazette market has been committed to Crown court. Abdul Mogradia, 45, of St Helens Road, Bolton pleaded not guilty to 13 offences of having goods with fake trademarks for sale. The offences are alleged to have taken place at Victoria Market, Waterloo Road, in December. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 17/09/2010 UK

Going under cover to catch the counterfeiters OFFICERS have been using surveillance techniques to catch dealing in illicit goods. Suspicious dealings in shady foreign cigarettes, a garage packed with illegal tobacco, a dodgy Auto Trader car seller and an underground internet firm selling counterfeit clothes were all filmed by undercover Trading Standards officers. Officials working for the County Council's trading standards department have been using under cover surveillance powers to allow them to catch criminals in the act over the past two years. The controversial powers, which were originally introduced to help police tackle terrorism, are under national review so Northamptonshire County Council has held its own survey into how the powers have been used since January last year. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 18/09/2010 UK

'Keep your money safe while online' Consumers across the district are being warned to be on their guard against websites that sell counterfeit goods or disappear with their cash. Trading Standards officers are spreading the word through a varied programme of activities and information sessions next week. The campaign, which will focus on schools and higher education institutions, is being held to coincide with National e-Consumer Week, which beings on Monday. Research out by the Trading Standards Institute shows that three quarters of people feel unsafe when shopping online, more than half fear their card or bank details will get stolen and a tenth worry their items will never arrive. BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS 18/09/2010 UK

Beware fakers c-online offers RECORD numbers of online shoppers are being flogged fake goods on the web, officials warned yesterday. Trading Standards said that one in NINE products is dodgy. The cons range from bogus hair straighteners to rip-off Burberry gear and are part of a counterfeiting crisis that is costing the UK economy £3.1BILLION a year. Trading Standards officers Handley Brustad told Cashflow:" The internet has opened up the world to anyone to sell anything. "If someone came up to you on the high street offering a bargain for cash you wouldn't buy it. But people are buying things online without a second thought." SUN, THE 18/09/2010 UK

Fake cigarette sellers reported BURTON residents have responded to Staffordshire Country Council's call to report possible counterfeit cigarettes which could harm people's health and help to fund organised crime. A counterfeit hotline and website has been set up so people can report any concerns or suspicions about possible sales of counterfeit cigarettes. BURTON MAIL 20/09/2010 UK

Tobacco gangs targeted CUSTOMS staff says they are closing in on a Chinese gang believed to be behind a massive smuggling operation in Glasgow. The gang uses bedsits in the city as the factories to repackage raw tobacco and sell it as commercial brands. There have been a string of arrests and raids in the city this year after a tonne of raw tobacco was seized in raids in January. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 21/09/2010 UK

Snared on web Online shoppers are warned to be more vigilant when buying over the internet as National e-Consumer Week gets underway. West Yorkshire Trading Standards is promoting the safe use of the World Wide Web in a variety of events taking place all week. In particular they will be working to stop consumers from buying counterfeits and using fake websites that fail to deliver goods. Typical online fakes include mobile phones, GHD hair straighteners, Nintendo DS Lite consoles, video games, clothing, toys, perfumes and cosmetics, alcohol drinks and cigarettes. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 22/09/2010 UK; BARNSLEY INDEPENDENT 22/09/2010 UK; BRADFORD TARGET 24/09/2010 UK

40,000 cigs seized in smuggling raid A HUGE haul of smuggled cigarettes and tobacco has been seized in Huddersfield. Police joined West Yorkshire trading standards officers in a raid on a house in Lockwood. They seized 40,000 cigarettes and 50 kg of hand-rolling tobacco, worth many thousands of pounds. Officers estimated that there was enough tobacco to make a staggering 90,000 cigarettes. It is thought to have been brought in from Eastern Europe and was valued at more than £27,000. Two men were arrested in connection with the raid and have been bailed pending further inquiries. Boxes of suspected counterfeit clothing were also seized. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 22/09/2010 UK

Counterfeiting site set up to 'chip' consoles A MAN set up a website from his home that offered counterfeit computer games and a "chipping service". Steven Matthew Mathias 36, Cwm Cadle, Portmead, was caught out on April 2009, when Trading Standards officers discovered his site. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 22/09/2010 UK

Officers seized tobacco in raid A woman has been arrested on suspicion of fraud and money laundering after 191lbs of counterfeit tobacco and fake goods were seized. The 23-year-old woman was arrested on Friday and released on conditional police bail. Two men, aged 22 and 26 were arrested on the same grounds and were also bailed. None of the three have been charged. The tobacco, £2,000 cash and fake branded products were seized in the raid at a house in Queens Cross, Dudley, on Wednesday morning. West Midlands Police spokeswoman Deb Edmonds said officers worked with Dudley Council's trading standards team and the tobacco industry. They targeted the house after people nearby were concerned it was used to grow cannabis. EXPRESS & STAR SERIES (WEST MIDLANDS) 22/09/2010 UK

Men sell fake Cobblers gear. TWO men were spoken to by Trading Standards Officers after they were caught selling unofficial Cobblers merchandise ahead of last night's Carling Cup clash with premiere League giants Liverpool. Police were called to Sixfields stadium at about noon yesterday after a complaint was made that two men were selling unofficial Northampton Town scarves. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 23/09/2010 UK

Fake washing machine powder cheat denied appeal. A MAN who was jailed for his part in an international plot to sell fake powder has failed in a Court of Appeal to challenge his sentence. Richard Frederick Brayford, aged 44, of Whiston, near Cheadle, was given a two year sentence at Chester Crown Court after he was convicted of breaching the Trademarks Act in April. Brayford, was one of a group of men prosecuted over the plan to sell the Chinese-made fake powder, which was available for sale on the internet, in 2008. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 24/09/2010 UK

Charity to benefit from fake goods HOMELESSNESS charities are to benefit from seized fake designer clothing. A total of £90,000 of fake designer clothing is being donated to homeless charities, thanks to Leicestershire Trading Standards. Over the last 18 months, Leicestershire County Council ha seized hundreds of fake branded items including knitwear, coats and trainers at car boot sales and markets. Usually fake goods are recycled and on rare occasions, destroyed by Trading Standards. The County Council has joined forces with His Church Charity, which removes the fake labels, re-brands them and gives them to charities in the UK and overseas. BURTON MAIL 24/09/2010 UK

BEWARE OF FAKES BEING SOLD ONLINE SHOPPERS in Dorset are being warned to beware of fakes goods and websites when buying online. Dorset County Council's trading standards services is launching a campaign to urged more people to find out about their consumer rights and how to avoid falling prey to online sharks. It started the campaign to tie in with National Consumer Week. Bill Jaggs, who is the Council's head of regulatory services, said: "The internet is becoming an increasingly significant option for consumers. "The complaints that we are asked to investigate illustrate that consumers could do more to protect themselves and get a better deal. DORSET ECHO 25/09/2010 UK

Squatting rogue trader caught out A rogue trader selling fake designer bags, shoes and clothes was found guilty by a jury at Croydon Court on Friday. Wayne Edwards, 45, of Scotia Road, Brixton, was sentenced to 120 hours community service, an 18 month community order and a 12 month court supervision order. The con man set up his unauthorised business - Croydon Luggage, squatting in a shop at unit 57 North End. He sold fake Nike, Jimmy shoes, Ed Hardy clothing and Dolce and Gabbana luggage many of which were displayed un-priced. The fraudster was caught when his assistant Carol Perrin sold a fake Chanel bag to an undercover council officer for £45. CROYDON GUARDIAN 29/09/2010 UK

Warning over cigarettes WESTON: Smokers are being warned about counterfeit cigarettes after illicit tobacco with a street value of more than £5000 was seized a car boot sale. Trading Standards officer said they raided a stall at the sale in Bleadon earlier this month, arresting two men in suspicion of selling illicit tobacco. Items seized included more than 1,500 packets of Richmond cigarettes. Both men have been bailed pending further inquiries. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 30/09/2010 UK

Carer jailed for selling fake smokes A CARER has been jailed for selling fake cigarettes. John Reilly, 55, was found with counterfeit cigarettes and rolling tobacco at his home at Denfield Gardens, Ovenden, in June last year. Reilly, who is a full time carer for his wife after she suffered a heart attack, claimed to have bought the goods for his children at a car boot sale. Katherine Walsh, for Reilly, said that word had quickly spread through the tight-knit Ovenden community and people realised he had cheap cigarettes and started going to his house to buy them. HALIFAX COURIER (SERIES) 30/09/2010 UK

MARKET TRADER SOLD FAKE BRANDED CLOTHING A MARKET trader who sold fake branded clothes at Penkridge market has been ordered to do 120 hours' community service and pay £250 cost. Irfan Khan, of Stratford Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, pleaded guilty at Stafford Magistrates' Court to eight charges of selling counterfeit clothes under the trade Mark's Act. Khan, 37, sold various items of clothing to one of Staffordshire County Council's trading standards officers at Penkbridge Market on April 14 this year. STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) 19/09/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: August 2010

Cops seize 50k fakes COUNTERFEIT clothing worth £50,000 was seized from a Birmingham market stall in a swoop by trading standards. More than 1,000 items, featuring high street brands adidas, Nike, Henleys, Stone Island and Georgio Armani were recovered in the raid. BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY MERCURY 01/08/2010 UK

12,100 ILLEGAL CIGS SEIZED IN HOUSE RAID AFTER TIP-OFF A TIP-OFF from a member of the public led to the seizure of more than 12,100 illegal cigarettes from an Immingham house. Cash was also uncovered in the raid, carried out after Trading Standards officers joined forces with Humberside Police to carry out an undercover test purchase. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 03/08/2010 UK

Illegal cigs trade increases crime Illicit tobacco is that which is stolen, smuggled or counterfeit, while tobacco is branded as illegal where duty has been avoided. More than 67,000 illegal cigarettes have been seized in the region in the last 12 months, alongside 12 kilograms of rolling tobacco. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 03/08/2010 UK

Forces unite to fight illicit tobacco sales A CRACKDOWN has been launched on the sale of illicit tobacco in Crewe. The Consumer Protection and Investigations Team last week joined forces with police, immigration officers and HM Revenue and Customs in Operation Medallion. The operation is designed to target those who sell counterfeit, bootlegged or smuggled tobacco products. CREWE & NANTWICH GUARDIAN 03/08/2010 UK

Fake fags man jailed Danny Dougherty, aged 45, of Yews Avenue, Westborough Dale, was jailed for two years at Sheffield Crown Court after pleading guilty to a charge of being involved with others in an arrangement that facilitated the acquisition, retention, use or control of counterfeit cigarettes. SHEFFIELD STAR 03/08/2010 UK; BARNSLEY CHRONICLE (SERIES) 06/08/2010 UK

We must be beware of fake brakes MOTORISTS and mechanics are being warned that unsafe counterfeit brake pads are circulating in NI. Trading Standards has made two seizures of dangerous brake pads in Belfast and County Armagh. The counterfeit brake pads, branded as Volkswagen, SEAT, Skoda and Audi were seized following a tip-off from the Volkswagen group. IRISH NEWS (BELFAST) 03/08/2010 UK; BELFAST NEWS LETTER GROUP 05/08/2010 UK

Blitz on fake goods Wirral Trading Standards has launched a crackdown on fake tobacco and computer software. The campaign, part of a national fight against piracy and counterfeiting, will target low level cases of illegal selling. WIRRAL GLOBE (SERIES) 04/08/2010 UK

Counterfeit tobacco case A MAN of good character has admitted his part in running a counterfeit tobacco factory in Doncaster. Anthony George Scothorne, aged 61, of Thorntondale Road, Scawsby, was bailed for sentence until next month by Doncaster Crown Court for four offences. He appeared yesterday and admitted being in possession of labels, a wrapping machine, counterfeit hand rolling tobacco and counterfeit tax stamps for use in connection with fraudulent activity. DONCASTER STAR 04/08/2010

Fake goods sold in market A SHOPKEEPER whose wife was expecting twins decided to try to boost his income by selling counterfeit goods. Faizel Adam from Newton Drive, central Blackpool, admitted 13 offences of breaching the TM Act. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 05/08/2010 UK

£1m of fake designer gear seized by cops in raids Sgt Dave Stevens said: "This was a major find and sends out a clear message to those dealing or thinking of dealing in counterfeit clothes that illegal trading will simply not be tolerated in Salford. "The counterfeit goods market is not a victimless crime and such offences threaten the livelihood of any law abiding citizen" SALFORD ADVERTISER (INC. SALFORD CITY REPORTER) 05/08/2010 UK

We should be doing all we can to stamp out illegal trade Counterfeit goods have been linked to criminal gangs and arms sales. Then there are the bargains which have consequences to health. Take today’s haul of illegal cigarettes - the second to be publicised this week. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 07/08/2010 UK

In Brief A GIFT shop owner has admitted selling fake goods from his Blackpool store. Trading Standards officers raided Umar Atchas premises on York Street and found items falsely bearing the trademark of products like Hannah Montana, Playboy, Louis Vuitton and Power Rangers. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 07/08/2010 UK

Store owner admits to selling phoney goods Newcastle City Council’s Trading Standards team raided a store and filled a transit van with Singh’s stock, which included thousands of bracelet charms, more than 100 pairs of jeans, 250 pairs of socks, around 70 phoney designer handbags and purses and more than 75 pairs of boots and trainers. And just two months later, Singh was at it again and a second visit saw a further 225 pieces of clothing and jewellery, again all counterfeit, recovered. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 07/08/2010 UK

Traders hit by fake fags SMUGGLED cigarettes are being sold for as little as 4 euros a packet - less than half the recommended retail price, leaving traders in the Kildare area unable to compete and at a major loss. IRISH POST 07/08/2010 UK

Raid leads to huge haul of cigarettes Officers also discovered various bundles of cash hidden around the premises, which was confiscated while the inquiry continues. Tim Coglan, Head of Trading Standards at Blackpool council, said: "This is the latest raid due to the council’s campaign to clean up Blackpool... "We’ve got strong evidence to suggest local residents were being sold counterfeit cigarettes". BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 09/08/2010 UK

Fake toy seller in court Arch admitted 11 trademark offences and was also ordered to pay £200 in costs by Blackpool Magistrates. Lee Petrak, prosecuting for Blackpool Council said the shop was visited by trading standards officers. They found 96 toys which were taken from the premises. They were examined and found to be counterfeit with fake trademarks. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 10/08/2010 UK

Huge Scam sees counterfeit alcohol distributed to shops BOOTLEG booze barons are raking in as much as £1m a week in the North East, the Chronicle can reveal. Today we expose the region’s booming black market in smuggled and counterfeit alcohol. A series of underground warehouses across Tyneside have also been busted, inside which gallons of illegal beers, wines and spirits have been found. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 10/08/2010 UK

Designer fakes seized in car boot sale raid POLICE swooped on a Huddersfield car boot sale to seize fake designer gear. Officers were joined by West Yorkshire Trading Standards officers in the raid at Grange Moore. Now the Trading Standards officers are checking on the clothing to see if it is fake. They seized shirts, jumpers and swimwear bearing trade marks of many top designers. During the early morning operation, two men were found with designer clothing from brands such as Burberry, Bench, Stone Island, Juicy Couture, G-Star, Henleys and Ecko. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 10/08/2010

Warning over fake straighteners GLASGOW bargain-hunters were today warned to watch out for fake hair straighteners flooding the city market. The Electrical Safety Council, an industry watchdog, said the counterfeit GHD hair straighteners posed real dangers to anybody using them. Trading Standards officers across the Wets of Scotland have been seizing increasing numbers of the Straighteners, which are in high-quality packaging but are far from as safe as the real product. ESC experts believed counterfeiters are targeting Scots with the traditional eye for a good deal. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 11/08/2010

Market trader admits to fakes A Kidderminster market trader has been ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work after admitted selling counterfeit goods. Dean Smith, of Chiseldon Croft in Kings Heath, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to four offences under the Trade Marks Act at the hearing last month. He was sentenced at Kidderminster Court on August 2. Along with the unpaid work, to be completed in 12 months, he was ordered to pay £600 costs. Trading Standards officers carried out an operation at Kidderminster market on December 3 to target illegal trading. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 12/08/2010

News in brief A SEAHOUSES man is helping the authorities with their enquiries after suspected counterfeit goods were found in a mobile shop. The goods, believed to include counterfeit DVDs, cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol on which duty had not been paid, were found following a random traffic stop by police in Main Street, Seahouses earlier this month. BERWICK ADVERTISER 12/08/2010 UK

Arsenic in fake holy water TRADING Standards officers have issued a warning to Muslims about fake holy water which contains dangerous ingredients. Tests have shown that Zam Zam bottled water sold in the UK, or brought into the UK for personal consumption, contains high levels of arsenic or nitrates. LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 12/08/2010 UK

Safe scam THOUSANDS of pounds of suspected fake clothes were seized from a car boot sale in Grange Moor on Sunday. Designer gear brands such as Burberry and Ecko which would have fetched around £3,500 at the right price instead of the low charges sellers were asking. BATLEY & BIRSTALL NEWS 12/08/2010 UK; DEWSBURY REPORTER 13/08/2010 UK

Ciggies seized in Police raids THOUSANDS of cigarettes were seized in raids on Middlesbrough’s tobacco houses. The operation was launched at 9am yesterday and targeted four addresses in the town centre, Whinney Banks, Park End and Ormesby. Officers seized more than 1kg of hand-rolling tobacco and nearly 2,000 cigarettes of which more than half are believed to be counterfeit. TEESSIDE EVENING GAZETTE 13/08/2010 UK

Officers take 100 items in sale raid Trading standards officers seized 100 counterfeit DVD's and 30 items of fake gold jewellery worth thousands of pounds in total following a raid at a Staffordshire car boot sale. The items were seized from the car boot sale off the A34 at Brocton, close to Staffordshire, last Sunday. Now the team is going to extend its patrol to the nearby Cocksparrow Lane, Huntington, car boot sale operated by the same organiser, who has paid for the patrols. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 13/08/2010 UK; STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 18/08/2010 UK

Trader sold fake clothing A market trader who sold fake clothing at the stall in Staffordshire has been ordered to completed 120 hours of community service and pay £250 costs. Irfan Khan, of Stratford Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to eight charges of selling counterfeit clothes under the Trade Mark Acts at Stafford Magistrates Court yesterday. Khan, aged 37, sold various items of clothing to one of Staffordshire County Council's trading standards officers at Penkridge Market Market on April 14 this year. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 13/08/2010 UK

Bagging a fake Some women are getting their fashion fixes form counterfeit goods. But can they ever be as good as the real thing? The Mulberry Alexa, a bag almost as beautiful as the woman it was named after, hit the stores in January. Fashion journalists purred. Handbag addicts cooed. With its beautiful soft leather and chic satchel- like design, it quickly became the first 'it' bag of 2010. It was a fashion item you'd sell your granny for and everyone wanted one. In the event, it proved so popular that even in this recession riddled times, it pushed Mulberry's profits up by 22%. IRISH INDEPENDENT (EIRE) 17/08/2010 Ireland

Health warning on cheap cigarettes RESIDENTS are being urged to report anyone they see selling cheap cigarettes. It comes as a health warning is sent out to smokers in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire about the effects of counterfeit cigarettes. Trading standards officers across the area have joined forces in a crackdown on fake tobacco. The counterfeits, which are often packaged to resemble well-known brands, are offered for sale at severely reduced prices but the cigarettes are made from highly toxic materials that can even include the droppings. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 18/08/2010 UK

Hotline launched to smoke out fake cigs TAMWORTH residents and businesses are being urged to join the fight against the sale of counterfeit cigarettes. A 'fakes Hotline' has been set up by the county council for people to call if they know of anyone illegally selling such cigarettes. Fake cigarettes can contain dangerous chemical levels, usually cost less and are made to look like popular brands. And like any counterfeit goods, proceeds from their sale can help found organised crime, a council spokesman said. TAMWORTH HERALD 19/08/2010 UK; LICHFIELD MERCURY 19/08/2010 UK; STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 19/08/2010 UK; BURTON MAIL 20/08/2010 UK

Fake designer goods net couple £81k A COUPLE made more than £81,000 bamboozling customers by flogging them fake designer UGG boots at Wembley Market and on their website. The dishonest stallholders run a 'sophisticated' business importing and selling the counterfeit goods from a number of outlets including, Wembley Market and Portobello Road Market, as well as websites eBay and Amazon. The popular boots, imitating the one's made by Australian company UGG, sold for about £70 a pair. WEMBLEY OBSERVER 19/08/2010 UK

Bogus booze bust FOUR off licences were caught stocking bogus booze. HM Revenue & Customs officers raided a series of shops as part of a probe into fake and smuggled alcohol. Thousands of litres of beers, wines and spirits were taken from the stores, all which had either been smuggled into the UK or were suspected of being counterfeit. Following the operation, Northumbria Police has applied to New Castle City Council to have their booze licences reviewed. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 19/08/2010 UK; EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 02/09/2010 UK

Trader’s designer gear was all fake A MARKET trader from Kidderminster has been prosecuted for dealing in counterfeit goods. The case follows a raid on the market by Trading Standards Officers last December, targeting traders operating illegally. Officers seized more than 100 items, all of which were counterfeit. Worcestershire Regulatory Services subsequently prosecuted Dean Smith of Chiseldon Croft, Birmingham. He was offering for sale trainers, jumper, boxer briefs and jewellery, all of which were identified as copies of prominent brands. KIDDERMINSTER CHRONICLE 19/08/2010 UK

TRADERS PLEA TO WEED OUT FAKE CIGS COUNTERFEIT sellers of cigarettes in Stafford are being stubbed-out by a new trading standards campaign. Officers will be approaching businesses to ask them to report anyone trying to sell counterfeit cigarettes and providing posters to raise awareness of the issue. Fake cigarettes can contain dangerous chemical levels as they are unregulated. They can also encourage younger people and those on lower incomes to smoke as they cost less and look like popular brands. STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) 19/08/2010 UK

Bitter pill for drug counterfeiters A POWERFUL new marking technology that can help prevent drug counterfeit has been unveiled by Cambridgeshire innovator, GB Innomech. Thousands of people have died around after taking fake cures. The World Health Organisation estimates that around 50 per cent of all medicines sold online are worthless counterfeit and in developing nations, fake tablets or capsules may account for much as 30 per cent of all drugs on the market. BUSINESS WEEKLY 19/08/2010 UK

The Uggly face of a 100k con A HUGE counterfeiting scam which conned shoppers into buying fake Ugg boots has been shut down. A husband and wife made nearly £100,000 selling replicas imported from China. Habib and Aisha Melloul, both 28, set up an on line shop called Ugg Love selling the boots for 88.50 a pair. They normally cost around £100. They were caught when investigators swooped on an open-air market in London where Habib was touting for business. SUNDAY MIRROR 22/08/2010 UK

Alert over fake vodka sales BOURNEMOUTH residents are being urged to be vigilant when buying alcohol from off-licences following the seizure of counterfeiting vodka. Following a complaint from a member of the public, Bournemouth's trading standards officers discovered counterfeit Smirnoff vodka was being sold at a number of premises. They are now advising consumers of the sting what to look for. These include an unusual taste, spelling mistakes and altered logos on labels, low quality packaging or a different bottle shape. BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 23/08/2010 UK

Man accused of shop crimes A MAN appeared before Huddersfield Magistrates yesterday charged with attempting to sell counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco. Dana Kadir Ahmed is accused of possessing 1,870 counterfeit cigarettes and 2,650g of knock-off tobacco with intent to sell it to John Williams News in Huddersfield town centre. The goods were allegedly found during a police and trading standards raid on the shop on August 5, 2009. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 25/08/2010 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Counterfeit goods to go to charity ILLEGAL goods such as counterfeit clothing, DVDs toys and computer equipment that was seized by Central Bedfordshire Council's Trading Standards Team and destined for an incinerator is going to be put to good use after officials teamed up with a local charity. His Church Charity, which is based in North Bedfordshire, recycles counterfeit goods and distributes them to help homeless and underprivileged people as well as salvaging food and other goods from large supermarkets and wholesalers that would otherwise be sent to landfill. BIGGLESWADE ADVERTISER 25/08/2010 UK

Trader sold fake DVDs and UGG boots over the internet AN INTERNET trader from Patchway who sold fake good has been given a suspended jail term. Russell Painter offered items on auction site eBay to supplement his income Bristol Crown Court heard. After a customer in West Yorkshire complained he had bought a counterfeit DVD boxed set of TV show Sopranos, South Gloucestershire Trading Standards investigated and found Painter in possession of nine fake DVD boxed sets as well as a copy pair of UGG boots. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 25/08/2010 UK

Seized pirate booty is a bonus for charities COUNTERFEIT clothing and other illegal goods such as DVD's toys and computer equipment has been saved from the incinerator and instead found a worthy new home in Dunstable. Trading Standards officers contacted His Church Charity, which recycles counterfeit goods and redistributes them to help homeless and underprivileged people in Bedfordshire. It also salvages food and other goods from large supermarkets and wholesalers that would otherwise be sent to landfill. DUNSTABLE GAZETTE 25/08/2010 UK

Firms and public in fake fag fight Stafford business and members of the public are being urged to join in the County Council's fight against counterfeit cigarettes. Fake fags contain dangerous chemical levels because they are unregulated. They can also help encourage younger people, and those on lower incomes to smoke, as they cost less and are made to look like popular brands. Trading Standards has warned, like any counterfeit goods, proceeds from their sale can help fund organised crime. STAFFORD POST 26/08/2010 UK

NO JAIL FOR FAKE CIG MAN A WIGAN pensioner, who was caught with thousands of counterfeit cigarettes by Trading Standards officers, has been spared jail. Derek Speak pleated guilty at Wigan Magistrates' Court for posessing almost 7,000 fake Regal cigarettes at his home in Ormskirk Road, Pemberton. The 66 year old defendant was found with 13,000 cigarettes and more than 24 kilos of hand rolling tobacco following a joint investigation by Wigan Trading Standards and HM Revenues and Customs officers. WIGAN EVENING POST 27/08/2010 UK; WIGAN OBSERVER 31/08/2010 UK

PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH 27/08/2010 UK Alert over fake water as muslims observe Ramadan, the foods Standards Agency and Lancashire Trading Standards are warning people about fake bottled water described or labelled as Zam Zam water. Tests have shown that Zam Zam sold in the UK, or brought into the UK for personal consumption, contains high levels of arsenic or nitrates. Zam Zam water is created for muslims and comes from a specific source in Saudi Arabia. It cannot be exported under Saudi Law and any water on sale in the UK labelled as Zam Zam is therefore suspicious. NELSON LEADER 27/08/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: July 2010

Can pharma keep pace with the counterfeiters? The problem with counterfeit medicines was first addressed at an international level in 1985, when a conference of experts recommended that the World Health Organisation (WHO), together with the international and non-governmental organisations, should study the feasibility of setting up a clearing house to collect data and to inform governments about the nature and extent of counterfeiting. PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY EUROPE 01/07/2010 UK

Counterfeit goods are seized in store raids FAKE handbags, condoms, cosmetics, DVD's and alcohol were seized from shops across South Harrow last week following a Trading Standards operation. During the blitz, officers found 19 bottles of fake Whisky and Vodka, counterfeit Gucci handbags, shoes and purses and tobacco products which failed to carry mandatory health warnings in three different stores. The visits were made as part of a Harrow Council-led week of action a programme to target low-level crime in the borough. WEMBLEY OBSERVER 01/07/2010 UK

Bailiffs destroyed Chinese aquariums A Chinese manufacture was caught showing counterfeit copies of Reef One's BiOrb LIFE range at Interzoo, but the units were seized and destroyed by German bailiffs. The seizure was made on the second day of the international pet trade show in Nuremberg. Reef One's managing director Paul Stevenson, said:" we are convinced the Chinese would put the tanks on stand, so had our German lawyers at the ready. However, we could not take action until the products were actually on display, but Thursday was a public holiday there. First thing Friday morning we presented all our evidence to the judge and he granted the injunction immediately, saying it was a classic case of counterfeit." PBW NEWS 01/07/2010 UK

Tackling the Counterfeit Cable Problem The International Authentication Association (IAA) has welcomes new initiative from the British Cables Association aimed at tackling problems of counterfeit cables. The recently launched Approved Cables Initiative (ACI) aims to address the issue of unsafe, non-approved and counterfeit cables from the UK market. DPA (DESIGN PRODUCTS & APPLICATIONS) 01/07/2010 UK

Charity conman to repay money A CONMAN who ripped off a breast scanning charity by selling fake hair Straighteners has been warned that he could face a lengthy prison sentence if he does not pay back his ill-gotten gains. Donald Silvester, aged 74, cheated Breakthrough Breast Cancer out of £5,500 when he sold counterfeit straighteners bearing the charity's logo. Now Silvester, of Green Stone Avenue, Horwich, must pay back the money he made from the fraud which, Bolton Crown Court heard yesterday, could amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds. BOLTON NEWS 02/07/2010 UK

Fake World Cup cost UK shops £92m FAKE World Cup merchandise is set to cost UK retailers £92 m in lost sales according to new report. While retailers expected a £250m shopping splurge by England fans on World Cup sportswear and memorabilia, counterfeit suppliers are also set to capitalise on the tournament. According to the report from Kelkoo the shopping comparison website, as many as one in every five items sold of World Cup merchandise are expected to be fake. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 05/07/2010 UK

Illegal cigarettes seized from market stalls Revenue and Customs officials seized thousands of Illegal cigarettes from stalls on Norwich market in a series of raids. Officers seized 3,800 cigarettes, 86.3kgs of hand-rolling tobacco and 150 cigarillos as they searched stalls in the operation. Illegal goods were found at four of them. They also discovered other illegal tobacco products at a shop in Norwich. In total the tax duty evaded is estimated to be £11,800. No arrests have been made but investigations are continuing. NORWICH EVENING NEWS 06/07/2010 UK

Counterfeit booze swoop SUSPECTED counterfeit booze was seized from a Leigh off licence over fears for drinkers’ safety. Revenue and Customs officers swooped on Jay’s supermarket, in London Road, and carried away 92 bottles of vodka and brandy. It is believed the 78 litres of booze has been smuggled in from abroad and could be a health risk. A batch of dodgy vodka was seized in Cardiff last year and it was feared people could be left with liver damage. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 07/07/2010 UK

Fake alcohol SURREY: Drinkers are being warned to be aware of fake, dangerous and watered-down alcohol. An investigation into dozens of licensed premises by Surrey County Council Trading Standards found beer, vodka and champagne being passed off as well-known brands. All the premises have either received written warnings or face caution of further prosecutions. Investigations of suppliers are also underway. Steve Rudy, from Trading Standards said: "It's vital that people can trust the labelling and advertising of the food they spend their hard earned money on." SURREY MIRROR SERIES 08/07/2010 UK

PRESTON A trader accused of having pirated goods for sale including money boxes, bedding and bean-bags with fake Manchester United and Liverpool FC logos has had his case committed to a higher court. Sameer Sodawala, age 30, of Highgate Avenue, Preston, is accused of nine offences of having goods with counterfeit TM’s for sale at The Pound Store, Church Street, Blackpool, in October last year. Sodawala was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on August 26. LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 09/07/2010 UK; BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 09/07/2010 UK; LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 09/07/2010 UK

Dad also sentenced over bogus goods THE father of a gun man jailed for two months for selling fake goods has been sentenced for 120 hours unpaid work for committing the same crime. Philip Rose, 56, admitted at Derby Crown Court five charges under the Trade Marks Act 1994 of selling counterfeit goods and unauthorised use of trade marks. He was also ordered to pay cost of £500 and forfeit all the items. Last month, son Steven Rose admitted nine charges. DERBY TELEGRAPH 09/07/2010 UK

Airport closes in on counterfeiters MULTI-MILLION pounds worth of counterfeit goods have been seized by officials at East Midlands Airport over the past year, it has been revealed. Illegal items worth more than £4 million were confiscated by UK Border Agency officers at the Castle Donington airport. Significant seizures including GHD branded hair straighteners worth £117,884 and Nintendo goods worth £155,135. The haul also included DVD boxed sets, sunglasses, fake football shirts, electric toothbrushes and razor blades, as imitation Ralph Lauren clothing, Louis Vuitton bags and Umbro England World Cup clothing and collection if Beatles CD'S. BURTON MAIL 09/07/2010 UK

Trade tackles issue of fakes FAKE sanitary ware imports and stolen labelling were among issues discussed at a meeting of ceramic leaders. The Stoke-based Bathroom Manufactures Association (BMA) held its annual general meeting at Manchester's Lowry Hotel. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 09/07/2010 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Trader on fake toy charge A TRADER accused of possessing pirated Mickey Mouse, Batman, Thomas the Thank Engine and Spiderman toys for sale at Blackpool has appeared at court. Abdul Mogradia, 45, of St Helens Road, Bolton, faces six offences of having goods with counterfeit trade marks. Morgradia had his case adjourned to July 28 by Deputy District Judge Pamela Baldwin sitting at Blackpool Magistrates' Court. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 09/07/2010 UK

Smuggling cig and booze raids in city A BLITZ on illicit cigarettes and alcohol in Peterborough has been thousands of pounds worth of dodgy goods seized. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) swooped on 45 retail and commercial premises and 10 homes in around Peterborough city centre. The commercial premises raids were carried out on July 3 and 4. The visits to the homes took place during the past week. In total the raid netted 14,420 illegal cigarettes, more than nine kgs of hand rolling tobacco and 56 kgs of chewing and other tobacco products. In addition, 61 litres of spirits and 80 litres of wine were removed. PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH 10/07/2010 UK

37million SHOTS OF RIP-OFF SMIRNOFF A BOOTLEG booze gang which distilled enough illegal vodka for 37 MILLION shots was jailed yesterday for more than 50 years. The scam with the booze labelled as leading brands including Smirnoff, allowed the crooks to dodge VAT and alcohol duty estimated at £15,000 million. The Vodka was produced at a sophisticated distillery in London East End which was capable of producing 24 bottles of vodka in a minute. Experts calculated that the plant could turn out 24,000 bottles a day -selling at almost £10 a time. SUN, THE 13/07/2010 UK; ENFIELD ADVERTISER 14/07/2010 UK; HACKNEY GAZETTE 15/07/2010 UK

Crooks leave stalls at sale TRADING Standards officers believed they are scaring off criminals who sell counterfeit goods. They joined police for a patrol at a car boot sale on Sunday and found abandoned tables at the site. The officers believed the stands would have been used to sell fake goods if they had not turned up. The event, off Cannock Road, in Brocton, near Stafford, has been targeted by crooks selling fake DVD's, CD's and other goods before, But Sunday's event was free of criminal activity. Trading Standards Officers said that was because of the patrols, which were paid for by the event organiser. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 13/07/2010 UK

Kaake vodka gang jailed TWO Gwent man were jailed yesterday for their part in a £10million vodka and tobacco tax fraud. Michael Oliver, 62, of Cae Brynton Road, Newport and Christopher Hill, 60, of Glenroy Court, Magor, were both part of a gang that produced fake vodka and tobacco without paying excise duty or VAT, defrauding the state of millions of pounds. Oliver was convicted of three counts of conspiracy to cheat HMRC and was jailed for ten years. Hill was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to cheat HMRC by evading duty and VAT on alcoholic products and jailed for six years. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 13/07/2010 UK; SOUTH WALES ARGUS 13/07/2010 UK

Fake trainer couple in the dock TRADERS in illegal goods have been warned they will be caught and punished after a couple from South Woodham Ferrers were prosecuted for selling counterfeit goods. Patrick Lench, 51, and Debra Woods, 46, of South View Close, received suspended prison sentenced and were ordered to pay £28,000 - and £7,000 in cost - under the Proceeds of Crime Act after being prosecuted by Essex County Council trading standards department. MALDON & BURNHAM STANDARD 13/07/2010 UK

Shopkeeper kept poisonous vodka A SHOPKEEPER has been given a community sentence for possessing vodka laced with methanol which can turn people blind. Halil Bolat, 50, of The Link Enfield, who owned Kizilirmak Food Centre in Hertford Road pleaded guilty to having 77 bottles of counterfeit Spar Brand Imperial Vodka in his possession. He was sentenced to 120 hours of community work. Drinking methanol can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, drowsiness, breathing difficulties and blindness. ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 14/07/2010 UK

Fake goods are targeted at boot sale A fed-up organiser of popular Stafford car boot sale has been forced to take action against criminals continually selling counterfeit goods at the venue. The sale off the A34 Cannock Road in Brocton frequently attracts people selling fake DVD's CD's and other goods. And now the sale organiser has arranged and paid for trading standards and police to patrol the site, which will take place over the new few weeks. The patrol team will be on site as soon as it opens on Sunday morning, checking vehicles on entry and stalls once they have been set up. STAFFORD POST 15/07/2010 UK

Pair admit sale of fake goods TWO Hatfield men have admitted selling fake designer clothes and other goods over the internet. Baodong Zanng and Ying Zheng, both 27 are living in Parkhouse Court, pleaded guilty to offences under the Trade Marks Act to proceeds of Crime Act at St Albans Crown Court on Monday. Both were arrested in a raid in September 2008, when Police seized more than 85 pairs of shoes, clothes, designer belts, jewellery, golf clubs and electrical goods. While they wait to be sentenced in October, officers are investigated what they have done with they illegal profits and will confiscate appropriate assets. WELWYN GARDEN CITY & HATFIELD REVIEW 15/07/2010 UK; WELWYN & HATFIELD TIMES 14/07/2010 UK

Town among UKs piracy hotspots HUDDERSFIELD has been named as one of the country's hotspots for pirate computer software. The town has been listed alongside London, Manchester, Bristol and Warrington for its rate of illegal software transactions, in an article on the website Computer weekly.com. And it is thought that a combination of tough economic times, people not understanding their licences, small business and student population is driving the growth in pirated software. The research was conducted by investigators from Microsoft looking into software piracy. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 15/07/2010 UK

Three held in police swoop on illegal tobacco THREE people were arrested and thousands of cigarettes were seized in a crackdown on the sale of illegal tobacco. Cheshire Police, the North West Immigration services and HM Revenue and Customs yesterday teamed up to visit homes and business in the Crewe area as part of operation Medallion. It targets those who sell counterfeit, bootlegged or smuggled tobacco products. Four search warrants were executed as 7'500 cigarettes were seized, along with suspected tobacco, counterfeit vodka and cannabis. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 16/07/2010 UK; CREWE CHRONICLE 21/07/2010 UK

FAKE LENSES SEIZED IN £1/2M RAID FAKE Pentax and Canon branded lenses have been seized, along with £1/2m of counterfeit camera bags, during a raid in Manchester. A man has been arrested after 20,000 fake 'camera cases' were discovered in the sting operation that followed an investigation by Canon Euro. AP understands that the counterfeit camera bags were being sold through eBay. The cases were branded as Canon, Kodak, Nikon, Panasonic, and Pentax. The counterfeits were discovered at a house in Bowdon, Greater Manchester, on 22 June. AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER 17/07/2010 UK

BRANDS MOST COPIED So it's not surprise that the trade in counterfeit bags and shoes - not to mention perfume, jewellery and make – up is in rude health. Between January and March of this year, customs officers seized 156 fake handbags, from Gucci to Balenciaga to Versace, to Juicy Couture. Counterfeit shoes, in particular has exploded in popularity, with a proliferation of websites offering high-end brands like Louboutin’s and Manolo’s for a fraction of their real price. IRISH INDEPENDENT (EIRE) 17/07/2010 Ireland

FAKE PED EGG SCAM IS SCRAMBLED BY INVESTIGATION TRADING standards have smashed a dodgy egg scam in a crackdown on black market goods. Shoppers in North West Leicestershire have been prevented from shelling out for counterfeit Ped Eggs, after the investigation by Leicestershire Trading Standards. The Ped Egg, made by JML, is designed to remove hard skin from feet. Whereas the original product retails at £10, imitations, which had the same packaging, were being sold for only £5 and were less effective. BURTON MAIL 19/07/2010 UK; NUNEATON NEWS 19/07/2010 UK; NUNEATON NEWS 19/07/2010 UK

Counterfeit cigarette gang is sentenced FOUR people who sold counterfeit cigarettes on the streets of South Yorkshire have been sentenced. Police began to investigate the activities of Darren Remmington, Jennifer Sounders, Noreen Turner and Julie Dougherty in summer 2008 as part of a probe dubbed Operation Liquidate. Around 2.1 million cigarettes were seized. Officers said the products, which were being passed off as well-known brands, were being sold on the streets of Barnsley, netting the gangs profits of tens of thousands of pounds. The four were arrested, alongside Dougherty and pleaded guilty to a number of offences, including possession of cash believed to have been obtained through crime. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST SHEFFIELD STAR 19/07/2010 UK; 20/07/2010 UK;

Jailed man must pay £10,000 Their suspicions were confirmed when they found his wardrobes packed with a huge quantity of designer clothes. At Carlisle Crown Court in January Jones, of Church Road, Wigan, was jailed for a year after finally admitting he had been funding his lavish lifestyle by importing counterfeit designer clothes and watches from Thailand. He has now been back at Carlisle Crown Court where he agreed he had made £39,928 from his crimes CUMBRIA EVENING NEWS & STAR 20/07/2010 UK

Shopkeeper must pay 3.3m fine AN ASHFORD shopkeeper who sold fake shoes faces a decade in jail unless he pays a £3.3 million fine within six months. Guarcharan Singh had been charged with 43 counts of possessing and selling fake goods in his shop, Chockers in Middle Row, and a market stall in Folkstone. Police and trading standards discovered he made about £3.3 million from peddling his shoddy shoes and bogus bags. KENTISH EXPRESS SERIES 22/07/2010 UK

Illegal fags and tobacco seized in store swoop Phoney fags and bogus tobacco were seized in a raid on a Tyneside store. Trading Standards officers received a tip-off about a shop in Newcastle’s West End selling the illicit products. And when they visited the outlet, on Westgate Road, they found a bin bag full of illegal tobacco under the counter. It includes fags believed to have been smuggled in from as far afield as Russia and China. Also in the haul were several pouches of counterfeit hand-rolling tobacco. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 23/07/2010 UK

FAKE TRADERS GETS CAR BOOT SALE BAN A TRADER was banned from all markets and car boots sales in England and Wales after being caught selling counterfeit designer clothes. Mustak Mohammed Adam, 49, was prosecuted by trading standards officers who found him selling racks of fake designer label T-shirts and jeans at car boot sale in Burscough last year. Nick McNamara prosecuting, said: "Officers seized 168 T-shirts and 41 pairs of jeans carrying labels including Lacoste, Henleys and Fred Perry. "The owner of the Diesel trade mark confirmed to us a genuine T-shirt carrying its brand name would retail for around £35. "About £5,800 could potentially have been taken away from away from reputable retailers" LIVERPOOL ECHO 24/07/2010 UK

FAKE SEX PILL HAUL POLICE discovered thousands of 'fake' Viagra drugs with a street value of £20,000 in a dawn raid on a Tameside home. The drugs were found in a high-rise flat in Haughton Green as part of a police 'Day of Action'. More than 6,000 pills called Kamagra were unearthed and approximately 3,100 Zolpidem pills were discovered boxed up in the property. The reporter was present when the shock discovery was made after being invited to join the police on one of several dawn raids. 17 warrants were executed and 33 people arrested. TAMESIDE REPORTER 24/07/2010 UK

Jail for online trader who sold fake designer gear and DVDs A TRADER who sold fake designer clothes, pirated movies and games on auction website eBay has been jailed for 18 months. Kane Goodman bought and sold counterfeit goods around the globe, including 800 fake football club shirts which netted him more than £23,000. The 36-year-old ripped of versions of products by designer labels including Chanel and Tiffany in an operation that went on for years until he was caught by trading standards officers. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 27/07/2010 UK

Smuggled cigs seized on BBCs The One Show All such goods seized are either destroyed or recycled. Investigations into these incidents are still ongoing. The black market trade of smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco costs the Government £2.5 billion a year in lost tax revenue. BOSTON STANDARD 28/07/2010 UK

Stall fakes He is accused of contravening the trademarks of DC Comics, Disney, Thomas the Tank Engine and Marvel comics and was bailed to September 8 for committal. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 30/07/2010 UK

Cops seize £1m haul of rip-off designer gear About 13,000 items were recovered from a warehouse on Cambridge Industrial Estate in Lower Broughton, Salford. An Investigation was launched by police working with a number of famous label clothing companies. T-Shirts and casual wear seized included counterfeit Ed Hardy, Armani, Hugo Boss, Nike, Adidas, Gucci, Lacoste, Calvin Klein, and Dolce Gabbana clothing. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 31/07/2010 UK

City’s fake factory GANGS of criminals have flooded Glasgow with fake footwear. Trading Standards officers have seized hundreds of pairs of counterfeit Ugg fashion boots. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 31/07/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: June 2010

Online fake tickets alert TRADING standards officers in Caerphilly are warning festivals-goers and sports fans about on-line fake ticketing scams. Caerphilly council has joined a national campaign, run by the Office of Fair Trading, to alert residents to the danger of buying tickets online. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 01/06/2010 UK

FAKE GOODS MASTERMIND ON THE RUN A COUNTERFEIT clothing fraudster linked to one of the biggest ever raids on fake goods in Camden Town is believed to have fled to the Far East to avoid a jail sentence. Investigators fear Sweet-Teong Chew has already left the country after skipping bail following his conviction for conspiracy and a range of trademark infringements. CAMDEN NEW JOURNAL 03/06/2010 UK

Market trader had illegal goods A TRADER at Wellesbourne market had a stash of counterfeit clothes hidden behind a wall of jeans in his van when he was stopped by police and trading standards officers. And when thy forced open the locked door of a room at Irfan Khans home they found more fake Timberland, Adidas, Nike, McKenzie and Lyle & Scott clothes. STRATFORD OBSERVER 03/06/2010 UK, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON HERALD 03/06/2010 UK

Dodgy-gear guy dodges prison A COUNTERFEITER who flogged fake designer goods with names of high-end fashion houses will be sent to jail-once the authorities catch him. Sweet Teong Chew, 51,jumped bail while waiting trial for selling the dodgy goods at his shop in Oriental City in Edgware Road Colindale. Blackfriars Crown Court heard how officers from Brent and Harrow Trading Standards carried out a number of test purchases at Chews shop to establish the authenticity of his merchandise before raiding his stall last July. KILBURN TIMES 03/06/2010 UK

Fantastic figure man BRENT and Harrow Trading Standards Service and one of its officers were recognised for their tireless work. The team and Lee Wenzel, accredited financial investigator, were highly commended at the annual event held by the Anti counterfeiting Group (ACG). The award recognises enforcement organisations such as trading standards officers and their departments, police and customs for outstanding work against counterfeiting. KILBURN TIMES 03/06/2010 UK

Haul of fake clothes will go to charity FAKE clothing recovered by police and trading standards officers is to be donated to charity. Some 116 items of counterfeit clothing, including Ugg boots and Nike, Adidas and Timberland gear were confiscated last year in Manchester. The Haul has an estimated street value of 5,500 and will be passed on to international aid charity. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 04/06/2010 UK

Watch out for fakes in sales officers warn BARGAIN hunters are being warned to be vigilant if they want to avoid being ripped off at car boots sales. Officers at Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards are being advised to be careful of counterfeit old and damaged goods at boot sales. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH 04/06/2010 UK

115,000 ILLEGAL CIGS ARE SEIZED In an intensive operation to tackle the illegal trading of tobacco in the city, trading standards officers have spent the last 12 months carrying out raids on shops and car boot sales. COVENTRY TELEGRAPH 07/06/2010 UK

Designer fakes rise NEW movie Sex and The City 2 has led to a glut of fake Louis Vuitton handbags, Chanel jackets and Christian Labouton shoes. Black-Market dealers are taking advantage of women desperate to look like Carrie and pals warn Shred Easy who dispose of seized fakes. SUN, THE 08/06/2010 UK

The fake Louis Vuitton purse that seemed a bargain but cost €1,000 A tourist in Italy who thought she was on to a bargain when she bought a fake Louis Vuitton purse from a beach vendor for €7 (£5.70) has been slapped with a €1,000 fine as part of a draconian summer crackdown on counterfeit goods. GUARDIAN, THE 08/06/2010 UK

£4m fake products seized in air checks Imitation GHD hair straighteners and Nintendo games were among £4million worth of counterfeit goods seized at a UK airport, the UK Border Agency revealed today. The goods were seized at East Midlands Airport over the past year, including GHD branded hair straighteners worth £117,884 and Nintendo goods worth £155,135. SHROPSHIRE STAR (SERIES) 08/06/2010 UK, YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 09/06/2010 UK; BIRMINGHAM MAIL 09/06/2010 UK

Fifth of World Cup products expected to be fake Up to a fifth of Work Cup merchandise its expected to be fake, as almost a quarter of consumers admitted they would buy counterfeit items, according to a study. Counterfeit products are set to cost UK retailers £92.4m by the cup final, the study for shopping comparison website Kelkoo found. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 09/06/2010 UK, SUN, THE 09/06/2010 UK, SCARBOROUGH EVENING NEWS 09/06/2010 UK, YORK PRESS 09/06/2010 UK, SCARBOROUGH EVENING NEWS 09/06/2010 UK YORK PRESS 09/06/2010 UK, EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 09/06/2010 UK, LIVERPOOL DAILY POST 09/06/2010 UK

Crack down on bogus alcohol A CRACKDOWN on deadly fake alcohol is being stepped up in the city. Trading standards officers pledge to take action against any store found selling counterfeit alcohol amid a warning that more and cheaper alcohol laced with poisonous chemicals is being sold in Brighton and Hove. BRIGHTON ARGUS 09/06/2010 UK

Country flooded by fakes THOUSANDS of fake football shirts flooding England in the final days before the World Cup have been seized by officials. Counterfeit experts have been targeting parcels arriving at the international postal hub in Coventry. They have been joined representatives from major replica kit manufacturers to target rip-off gear from China, Thailand and Malaysia. HARTLEPOOL MAIL 09/06/2010 UK, OLDHAM EVENING CHRONICLE 09/06/2010 UK

Trading standards seize goods haul in crackdown on World Cup fake A BATCH of goods was seized in Edmonton yesterday as part of a crackdown on suspected counterfeit World Cup souvenirs. At about 11am, trading standards officers posing as members of the public, inspected goods on offer in Edmonton Green Shopping Centre. As part of the undercover operation they confiscated 20 England mugs on a discount store, while on the lookout for fake football shirts, flags, scarves and other items with the Three Lions emblem on them. ENFIELD ADVERTISER 09/06/2010 UK

Buying deadly bargains UK: Consumers were warned that buying cheap imitation power tools could put their lives at risk. Counterfeit products are not safety tested, approved by appropriated trade bodies or covered by a warranty and buying them may fund organised crime. Paul Evans of SOCA said: "You might think you are buying a bargain, but it is unlikely to perform to the standard you were expecting and may be so dangerous it could cost you your life". HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 12/06/2010 UK

Fans warned over imitation football strips FAKE merchandise bearing World Cup markings is believed to be circulating in Gloucestershire. The County Council's trading standards team is looking into several complaints about counterfeits football kits and has already seized some fake shirts. It is now starting an investigation into the people behind making and distributing them. Officers are warning people to be on their guard when buying World Cup kit and accessories, as counterfeit products are often inferior to the genuine product. GLOUCESTERSHIRE ECHO (SERIES) 14/06/2010 UK, GLOUCESTER CITIZEN 15/06/2010 UK

Jailed for smuggling 21 million cigarettes THESE are the astonishing scenes that greeted Southampton customs officers when they opened two 40ft long containers that had arrived from the Far East. Filled to the brim was more than £25million of fake cigarettes, making it the largest seizure of its kind in a container port and one of the biggest recorded in Britain. SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 15/06/2010 UK

Ex-football club boss jailed over smuggling THE former boss of at football club who took part in one of the county's biggest cigarette smuggling crimes was jailed for five and half years yesterday. Guy Simpson, who used to be chief executive of Southern League Premier Division side Halesowen Town, helped organise the shipment from China loaded in two 40ft (12m) containers which held more than 21 million counterfeit cigarettes. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 16/06/2010 UK

Hundreds of fake leaflets in van raid COUNTERFEIT charity leaflets were seized after Trading Standards raided a van. The vehicle contained hundreds of leaflets - ready to be distributed throughout Hertfordshire - claiming to be from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The leaflet provided a list of items suitable for collection and asked for them to be placed outside, in supplied bin liners before 9am. HEMEL HEMPSTEAD GAZETTE 16/06/2010 UK

440,000 fakes are set to be recycled HUNDERDS of thousands of pounds of dodgy goods seized from car boot sales and markets in Staffordshire are set to be recycled or disposed of. Trading Standards officers have already confiscated more than £440,000 worth of fake goods so far this year, with some also being found following consumer complaints. The items include DVD's, CD's electrical goods, clothing, laptop computers and games consoles. Trading Standards officers are responsible for protecting consumers by targeting counterfeit sellers' confiscating their goods and disposing of them. STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) YOUR LEEK PAPER 16/06/2010 UK ; 17/06/2010 UK

YOU PLONKERS TESCO has admitted unwittingly selling counterfeit wine-after an expert customer raised the alarm. Danny McGowan bought two bottles of French Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse wine, reduced from £14.49 to a bargain £5. But when he opened them at home, he discovered the fine white wine was actually cheap plonk. SUN, THE 21/06/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: May 2010

The real cost of FAKE DESIGNER HANDBAGS A recent poll by the UK Anti-Counterfeit Group revealed that the third of women sow no harm in purchasing counterfeit items if the price and quality were right. STELLAR (IR) 01/05/2010 Ireland

Appeal consolation for Tiffany as eBay largely triumph Merchandise is sold on eBay’s website even if it is counterfeit. Tiffany products are sold there too. While the Appeal Court agreed with this, it decided that it was unable to rule on whether the advertisements were not likely to mislead or confuse consumers. ANTIQUES TRADE GAZETTE 01/05/2010 UK

Trader sold fake items on website He said once it was pointed out that it was illegal, he stopped selling the fake goods. Young admitted seven counts of offering fake items for sale without permission of the registered trademark owners. NORWICH EVENING NEWS 01/05/2010 UK

TRADER FACING JAIL OVER BOGUS DESIGNER ITEMS A COUNTERFEITER who made millions of pounds selling fake designer goods is facing jail. The father-of- three denied 32 charges relating to the haul on November 6 2007 but was convicted at Blackfriars Crown Court last Thursday. CAMDEN GAZETTE 05/05/2010 UK, TOTTENHAM & WOOD GREEN JOURNAL 06/05/2010 UK, ISLINGTON GAZETTE 06/05/2010 UK

Counterfeit goods warning after man is sent to prison A Middlewich man has been sentenced to five months behind bars following a crackdown on counterfeit goods in Cheshire East. The case was passed to trading standards officers who investigated further and confirmed that the items displaying the trademarks were counterfeit. The clothing was confiscated. CONGLETON CHRONICLE 06/05/2010 UK

Conning customers with counterfeit Selling fake goods is a bad business. Not only does it affect legitimate local business, but it also leaves the customer short-changed as they end up paying for an interior product. EAST END LIFE 09/05/2010 UK

Jailed for fake designer gear A TRADESMAN has been jailed after hundreds of fake designers goods were found at his shop. EAST END LIFE 09/05/2010 UK

World Cup fever will bring counterfeiters out in force Counterfeiting may not sound like a big deal but (and without wanting to sound over-dramatic) purchasing a fake football shirt at a car boot sale may well lead to the funding of organised crime. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 12/05/2010 UK

Shop banned from selling alcohol after complaint by police A SHOP which was caught selling alcohol to youngsters and where counterfeit tobacco was found has had its licence revoked. Councillors voted yesterday to ban Boost & News from selling alcohol at its premises in London Road. DERBY TELEGRAPH 13/05/2010 UK

Warning over eBay’s shill bidders and fake and scammers eBay to invest more than £6 million every year in technology to detect shill bidding and other illegal activities. Paul Barret,39, from County Durham, is facing a possible £50,000 fine after he admitted using two separate eBay accounts to bid on and increase the prices of his own items. SCOTTISH SUNDAY HERALD 16/05/2010 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Man behind power scam due in court SIX men were today due to be sentenced for their part in an international plot to sell fake soap powder. They were involved in a scam which saw counterfeit powder shipped from China to a warehouse in Winsford. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 17/05/2010 UK

Rugby league star in internet ink scam jailed A FORMER Great Britain rugby league star has been jailed for 15 months after admitting 36,000 internet scams selling counterfeit ink cartridges and computers games. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 18/05/2010 UK, SUN, THE 18/05/2010 UK, HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 18/05/2010 UK, HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 18/05/2010 UK, LEADER (WREXHAM) 19/05/2010 UK, LEADER (WREXHAM) 19/05/2010 UK

Crusaders sack their wing FOLLOWING yesterday’s news that Crusaders winger Gareth Raynor was jailed for 15 months after pleading guilty to 14 counts of fraud and counterfeiting, the club have reluctantly terminated his contract with immediate effect. WESTERN MAIL SERIES 19/05/2010 UK

£4.5m fake cigs fraud A former football club boss from Chorley has pleaded guilty to avoiding duty on £4.5 million worth of counterfeit cigarettes. The 52- Years old of Flag Lane Heath Charnock, was charged following the discovery of Regal brand cigarettes by Customs officials in two cargo containers. CHORLEY CITIZEN 19/05/2010 UK

Ringleader in fake soap powder plot is jailed for two years THE ringleader behind an international plot to sell 25 tonnes of counterfeit soap powder has been jailed for two years. Richard Brayford, of Stone Haven, Whiston, was sent to jail after being convicted last month for his part an scam involving low-grade detergent being shipped from China to warehouse in Winsford Cheshire, to flood the black market with fake Persil. CHEADLE POST & TIMES 19/05/2010 UK, STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 18/05/2010 UK, LEEK POST & TIMES 19/05/2010 UK

Skirlington Market raid A LARGE number of trading standards officers took part in a raid on Skirlington Market last Sunday in a search for counterfeit goods. HOLDERNESS & HORNSEA GAZETTE 20/05/2010 UK

STAT OF THE MONTH The cigarettes-smuggling trade is blooming. So much so factories in China make an estimated 400 billion counterfeit cigarettes annually-enough to supply every US smoker with an emphysema-inducing 460 packs a year. MANAGEMENT TODAY 20/05/2010 UK

Fake goods dealers appeal falls short A DODGY dealer jailed for his part in a fake designer clothes racket on eBay failed to convince top judges to cut his sentence so can visit his ailing grandparents in Scotland. SALFORD ADVERTISER (INC. SALFORD CITY REPORTER) 20/05/2010 UK

Award for work in tackling fake goods sales Council bosses in Powys have been praised for their work in cutting down on the amount of counterfeit goods being sold in the country. The service won the Department of the Year Award for 2009 from the Anti- Counterfeiting Group. SHROPSHIRE STAR (SERIES) 21/05/2010 UK

Charities benefit from counterfeit goods crackdown GOOD has come out of bad for charities in Neath, Port Talbot and the Swansea Valley. They have been given clothes worth more than £15,000 from the ill-gotten gains of the counterfeiters along with other goodies. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 21/05/2010 UK

Fake goods worth £3m seized in police swoop ABOUT £3 million worth of counterfeit goods and contraband cigarettes and alcohol have been seized following a raid on Glasgow business. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 22/05/2010 UK

Counterfeit goods racket is broken up TWO major counterfeit goods rackets have been dismantled, one with links to an Italian mafia scam. An address in Edinburgh was raided yesterday as Europol closed in on the operation run by gangsters in Naples, believed to have financed the sale of millions of pounds worth of counterfeit power tools and clothing imported from China and sold door-to-door in the UK. HERALD, THE (GLASGOW) 22/05/2010 UK

Glasgow swoop nets £3m in fake goods MILLIONS of pounds worth of fake designer goods, illegal cigarettes and alcohol was seized in a raid, police said yesterday. Officers uncovered the £3million haul in a search of business premises in Glasgow’s Commerce Street on Thursday. DUNDEE COURIER & ADVERTISER (SERIES) 22/05/2010 UK

Show World Cup fakes the red card, fans told Trading standing officers expect dodgy leaders to try to cash in on the tournament in South Africa next month by selling cheap, poor quality replica shirts to fans on the back of the multi-million-pound trade in genuine merchandise. LEICESTER MERCURY (SERIES) 24/05/2010 UK

Fake hip-pop fashion seized AN East End businessman has pleaded guilty to his involvement in the sale of thousands of pounds worth of fake goods on line. Snaresbrook Crown Court was told how Kamran Ghorip operated out of a warehouse basement in Assam Street, Algate. EAST END LIFE 24/05/2010 UK

Market charter an end to fake-goods sellers A DERBYSHIRE council has become the first in the East Midlands to sign a national charter after banning fake goods from its markets. The charter is awarded to councils and markets who bar anyone trading in counterfeit and other illegal products. DERBY TELEGRAPH 24/05/2010 UK

Countering Counterfeiters Responding to increasingly sophisticated attacks of seemingly secure systems, a group of companies have launched the hardware Intrinsic Security Initiative (HIS). Its solution is a hardware based approach which takes advantages of the qualities of individuals’ chips. NEW ELECTRONICS 25/05/2010 UK

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU! We have worked with police on a number of operations to crackdown on antisocial behaviour, illegal money lending and selling fake goods. Careful considerations are given to all requests for the use of the powers to stop behaviour which ruins the lives of the majority. EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 27/05/2010 UK

Aquarium firm wins battle on tank copyright A successful Norfolk range of aquariums has won a legal copyright battle against Chinese counterfeiters. NORWICH EVENING NEWS 27/05/2010 UK

Shop boss sold condom fakes A SHOPKEEPER caught selling counterfeit condoms was fined nearly £10,000 last week. Aziz Nazlikol was peddling five dummy Durex varieties when Hackney trading standards officers swooped on the Stokey Supermarket in Stoke Newington Road. HACKNEY GAZETTE 27/05/2010 UK

GWENT MEN ADMIT VODKA CONSPIRACY TWO men admitted conspiring to cheat HM Revenue and Customs in a £15million smuggling case. Michael Oliver, 61 of Cae Brynton Road, Newport, admitted taking part in two alcohol conspiracies and a tobacco conspiracy. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 27/05/2010 UK

Warning to bargain hunters A Season for the car boot sales and markets gets into full swing, Surrey County Council Trading Standards has issued a warning to bargain hunters to be on the lookout for counterfeit goods. The fake gear warning comes after county trading standards officers successfully prosecuted a dodgy market trader caught selling 27,000 worth of fake clothing at Surrey market last month. Items included counterfeit Nike, Fred Perry and Ralph Laurent gear. FARNHAM HERALD 28/05/2010 UK

Vanity drives meds boom MALE VANITY is fuelling a booming trade in counterfeit medicines, warns a leading Scottish pharmacist. James Semple, Viece Chairman of Community Pharmacy Scotland, says criminal gangs are capitalising from the sinister global trade which is worth billions. SCOTTISH SUNDAY POST (SERIES) 30/05/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: April 2010

Counterfeit Killers campaign targets international sellers BEAMA has been taking its Counterfeit Killers campaign across the globe with some superb successes. NORTHERN IRELAND ELECTRICAL 01/04/2010 UK

Police warn: Beware of black- market cig traders They also warned that those involved are not concerned if they sell underage people, and that expertly- crafted packing makes it almost impossible to spot counterfeit cigarettes SELBY POST 01/04/2010 UK; PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 01/04/2010 UK

Police give bail to trio arrested over fake tobacco haul Officials described the haul smuggled from abroad as one of the biggest found in Derbyshire, destined to flood the market with counterfeit hand rolling tobacco. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH (CITY EDITION) 02/04/2010 UK

Roadshow highlights counterfeit whisky Law THE Scotch Whisky Associations overseas roadshow gathers pace this week to promote Scotland’s best known export on the back of new regulations aimed at crushing counterfeit products. SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY 04/04/2010 UK

Refugees fag scam reprieve But Fraid Mohammed 38, has been warned by a a judge he faces being locked up if he’s caught again selling counterfeit brands. EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 08/04/2010 UK

Police seize counterfeit cigarettes Alonso Ercilla, from East Sussex Country Council trading standards said: Dealing in counterfeit cigarettes harms legitimate businesses because the cigarettes are often sold cheaply. BRIGHTON ARGUS 09/04/2010 UK

PERSIL PLOT Cops were tipped off when 25 tons of powder was shipped in from china. Richard Brayford, 43,of Whiston, Staffs, denies planning to sell fake goods. SUN, THE 14/04/2010 UK

Jury told of phone link in Persil case A mobile phone registered to a man accused of being involved in a fake soap scam was used to call China just weeks before a shipment of the counterfeit goods arrived in the UK, a court heard. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 14/04/2010 UK

Businessman’s phoney boots sale on eBay ends in prison AN aspiring businessman was jailed for 16 weeks after he sold more than £17,000 worth of fake Ugg boots from his bedroom on eBay. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 14/04/2010 UK

Fake busters kicking up a real stink Ant-counterfeit Group director Ruth Orchard said: Sales of fake fragrance in the UK are known to fund serious organised crime to the tune of £315m a year . DAILY RECORD (SCOTLAND) 15/04/2010 UK

Gun sold fake branded goods worth thousands TWO couples have been sentenced at Gloucestershire Crown Court for their parts in a conspiracy to sell counterfeit trainers, sports clothing and DVDs. LEATHERHEAD ADVERTISER 15/04/2010 UK

Accused not part of scam THE trial of a man accused of being involved in a fake soap powder scam was due to continue today. Richard Brayford aged 43,of Stonehaven, near Cheadle, is charged with possession of an infringing article with view to sale under section 92 of the Trade Marks Act. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 15/04/2010 UK

Trading Standards smash fakes goods ring A COUNTERFEIT goods ring which sold fake clothes, sunglasses and DVDs in Gloucestershire has been smashed . GLOUCESTERSHIRE ECHO (SERIES) 16/04/2010 UK

Fake goods seller fined Kuemjit Dhillon,of Birdhurts Avenue, was found selling fake Lacoste hats and scarves and Lyle and Scott T- shirts in Epsom on June 28,las year. CROYDON ADVERTISER 16/04/2010 UK

Fake jeans cost 120 days work. Hanna’s solicitor told the court he had indented to set up a legitimate business selling Diesel clothes, but found the start-up cost too high. Instead, he bought counterfeit stock from wholesaler in China. KINGSTON INFORMER 16/04/2010 UK

Pay us back, or face more time in prison Yucan Meng sold illegal devices that allowed people to play counterfeit games in Nintendo DS consoles from his west Hull home. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 16/04/2010 UK

Buyers tackle fakes after eBay fail to act on complaints EBAY buyers have taken matters into their own hands after the online giant failed to act against sales of fakes, despite being alerted to the problem on numerous occasions. ANTIQUES TRADE GAZETTE 17/04/2010 UK

Police raid market over fake clothes HUNDREDS of counterfeit goods worth tens of thousands of pounds have been seized from an East Riding market in an undercover operation. Six arrests were made, with 30 officers from Humberside Police and Trading Standards raiding Skirlington Market in Skipsea, north of Hornsea. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 17/04/2010 UK

Look out fake tobacco dealers Local people are being warned by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to be on the look out for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes as her car boot season gets under way. ALTON POST GAZETTE 20/04/2010 UK, SURREY & HANTS NEWS 20/04/2010 UK

Manager faces jail over phoney Persil A MAN has been found guilty of being involved in a international plot to sell 25 tonnes of counterfeit soap powder . STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 20/04/2010 UK

Fake Vodka sales are put in television spotlight Tameside trading standards officers are to feature in a new TV series of food safety. Food fighters ,which is being broadcast on BBC1 at 9.15am every day this week, is presented by Chef Simon Rimmer and aims to highlight the work of people at the frontline of food safety. TAMESIDE ADVERTISER 21/04/2010 UK

Fraudster must pay back £11million A CONMAN at the centre of an international fraud ring has been ordered to pay back more than £11 million or face ten years prison. ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 21/04/2010 UK

Businessman told to expect jail after guilty verdict in Persil. A MAN has been found guilty of being involved in an international plot to sell 25 tonnes of counterfeit soap powder. Richard Brayford was convicted on Monday of being part of a scam involving low grade detergent being shipped from China to Suffolk to flood the black Market with fake Persil. LEEK POST & TIMES 21/04/2010 UK

Bogus clothes boss is jailed A businessman from Birmingham has been jailed after £6 million haul of counterfeit clothes was found in Smethwick. EXPRESS & STAR CITY FINAL (WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MIDLANDS) 21/04/2010 UK

Rugby star faces jail over eBay printing ink scam A GREAT BRITAIN rugby league star was yesterday warned he may face jail after admitting a £36,000 eBay scam selling counterfeit ink cartridges and computer games. All opinions were open when he is sentenced next month on 13 counts of counterfeiting and one of fraud. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 22/04/2010 UK, YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 22/04/2010 UK, HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 22/04/2010 UK

You may not be protected UNSAFE: Trading standards officers are using retailers to check that their stock of condoms to make sure it is not counterfeit. HARROW OBSERVER 22/04/2010 UK

Fine for fake cigarettes A SOUTH Yorkshire man who sold thousands of fake cigarettes from his home has been fined £2,250. Ronald Ellis aged 64, told a court he was glad he’d been caught because it would put a stop to his illegal dealing. SHEFFIELD WEEKLY GAZETTE (SERIES) 22/04/2010 UK

Counterfeit trader ordered to pay £11m A MAN convicted of selling fake Burberry shoes has been ordered to pay back £11million of face ten years behind bars. ENFIELD GAZETTE 22/04/2010 UK

SMOKED OUT MORE than £200,000 worth of contraband tobacco and booze have been seized in a raid. WIGAN EVENING POST 22/04/2010 UK

Cheat trader fined after trading standards raid A DODGY trader who flogged fake designer clothes on his market stall has been ordered to pay pack £1,000 and do 150 hours unpaid community work. KILBURN TIMES 22/04/2010 UK

Fake designer goods brought in £300,000 A MARKET trader pocketed nearly £300,000 selling fake designer clothes on his stall in the Ancient Market Place, Kingston. KINGSTON INFORMER 23/04/2010 UK

Man who sold fake designer goods is jailed Paul Marquand Paget was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to selling and possessing counterfeit goods, including sports wear and designer clothes. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 24/04/2010 UK

Rapid rise in counterfeit drugs is hard to take Counterfeit is a big business. A fake Rolex will tell the time, at least for a few weeks, but a counterfeit medicine can leave you seriously ill or worse. HALIFAX EVENING COURIER 27/04/2010 UK

CONTRABANDS IS OFF THE STREETS Operation Acaciaprize saw raids on 14 homes and retail and commercial premises across the town involving more than 50 police and HM Revenue and Customs officers. BOSTON TARGET 28/04/2010 UK

Four to be sentenced after world’s biggest seizure SWITCHED:A chipped console can play counterfeit games. Four men are to be sentenced by a Crown Court judge after police in Yorkshire discovered what they believe is the world’s largest haul of chipped games consoles. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 29/04/2010 UK, YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 01/05/2010 UK

Fraud charge Sameer Sodawala of 30 Highgate Avenue, Preston of Excell Limited, faces nine offences of possessing counterfeit goods at The Pound Store on Church Street. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 29/04/2010 UK

SHOPKEEPER JAILED FOR DESIGNER GEAR SCAM A SHOPKEEPER has been sentenced to nine months in jail for selling fake designer goods after a jury found him guilty last week. Baldeep Singh Arora, who runs Balli Gift House in Goulston Street, Whitechapel was found guilty of trading in counterfeit goods after a two day trial at Isleworth Crown Court Wednesday. EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 29/04/2010 UK

FAKE GOODS SEIZED AT POPULAR MARKET MORE than 2,200 pieces of counterfeit clothing and jewellery were seized from two stalls in North Weald Market during a raid. Around 200 pieces of fake jewellery, with a total market value of £1, 600, were also seized last Saturday. EPPING FOREST GUARDIAN 29/04/2010 UK

City to stub out tobacco smuggling One of these is the supply of so called cheap and illicit tobacco products which are smuggled into the country and are mainly a counterfeit version of well known brands. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 30/04/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: March 2010

Fake watches sold on net A man has admitted selling fake designer watches on the internet. HARTLEPOOL MAIL 03/03/2010 UK

Combating fake goods A competition has been launched to make young people aware of counterfeit goods. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 03/03/2010 UK

F is for fake accessories Most people will have bought goods that were suspiciously cheap. Many will also have bought goods known to be fakes. ELECTRICAL TIMES 04/03/2010 UK

Power packs Six million smuggled cigs seized at Felixstowe Suffolk, will be burned to make electricity. SUN, THE 05/03/2010 UK

Golf fraudster free A fraudster at the centre of internet auction site eBay’s biggest ever swindle has walked free from court. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 05/03/2010 UK

Fatal fakes Dom Littlewood returns to daytime TV this week to present five-part series Fake Britain which looks at some of the counterfeit goods that are available to buy on the high street. WHAT`S ON TV 06/03/2010 UK

Fake Armani factory busted in Lockwood A Huddersfield businessman has been jailed for eight months for his role in a professional counterfeit clothing operation which could have cost companies tens of thousands of pounds. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 06/03/2010 UK

Fake Britain Safety chiefs are losing the battle to stem the tide of deadly fake goods flooding black market Britain. PEOPLE, THE 07/03/2010 UK

Man jailed over fake goods sale A man was jailed for eight months for possessing counterfeit clothing and items used in their manufacture and labelling. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 08/03/2010 UK

Gang leader jailed The ringleader of a gang behind a multimillion-pound operation to sell fake golf clubs on eBay has been jailed for four years. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 08/03/2010 UK

Scam gang jailed The ringleader of a criminal network based in Rainham has been sentenced to four years and three months in jail. ROMFORD, HORNCHURCH & UPMINSTER YELLOW ADVERTISER 10/03/2010 UK

Counterfeit booze up by Customs A large amount of illegal booze has been seized following a check on pubs and bars in Doncaster town centre DONCASTER FREE PRESS 11/03/2010 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Warning over Ugg boot con Online shoppers in Wolverhampton are being warned about the dangers of buying counterfeit fashion boots. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 11/03/2010 UK

Jail for multi million pound golf swindle leader The ringleader of criminal network based in Rainham, convicted of masterminding a global fake golf club scam after an unprecedented investigation by Havering Council, has been sentenced to four years and three months in jail. Gary Bellchambers, 46, of Dunedin Road, Rainham, was sentenced on Friday at Snaresbrook Crown Court along with others. He had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell or distribute fake golf clubs. EAST LONDON ENQUIRER 11/03/2010 UK; REDBRIDGE YELLOW ADVERTISER 11/03/2010 UK; WALTHAMSTOW, LEYTON & CHINGFORD YELLOW ADVERTISER 11/03/2010 UK; ESSEX ENQUIRER 11/03/2010 UK

Probe team bring fraud to justice Investigations by Thurrock Trading Standards led to the conviction of a man for selling fake NIKE trainers online and possession of other counterfeit items. ESSEX ENQUIRER 11/03/2010 UK

Counterfeit goods seized on market stalls Counterfeit clothes, shoes and CDs have been seized from Bovingdon Market following a joint operation by Hertfordshire Trading Standards and Hertfordshire Constabulary. WATFORD OBSERVER 12/03/2010 UK eBay fraudsters are locked up Three eBay fraudsters who pulled off the auction site’s biggest ever swindle by selling fake golf clubs are behind bars. ROMFORD RECORDER 12/03/2010 UK

Fake shoe seller avoids jail stay A man has been dealt a suspended prison sentence after being convicted of selling fake Nike trainers online. THURROCK GAZETTE 12/03/2010 UK

Buyers in net alert Online bargain hunters could be fuelling a black market in stolen and counterfeit goods, a survey claimed yesterday. SUN, THE 15/03/2010 UK

Docs put the boot in Experts have claimed disastrous, rip-off Ugg boots are damaging the feet of a generation of young women. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 15/03/2010 UK

E-shoppers could be ‘fuelling black market’ Online bargain hunters could be fuelling a black market in stolen and counterfeit goods, according to research. ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 15/03/2010 UK

Brothers had fake vodka for sale Two brothers were found with bottles of counterfeit vodka for sale at their Blackpool shop. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 15/03/2010 UK

Bolly fizz fake alert Fake bottles of posh bubbly Bollinger have been found on sale in London. SUN, THE 16/03/2010 UK

Cyber crusaders Piracy has plagued musicians for more than a decade - and now the games industry is under attack. INDEPENDENT, THE 17/03/2010 UK

Yorkshire’s DNA suit set to foil fabric forgers Huddersfield cloth is being woven with a unique DNA ‘fingerprint’ so buyers can tell it is genuine. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 17/03/2010 UK

Bid for fake-free markets Market traders in Elland and Brighouse are vowing to clampdown on fake goods. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 17/03/2010 UK

£200k haul after search for fakes Two reported to fiscal as raid uncovers clothing and electrical goods. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 17/03/2010 UK eBay site fraudster faces jail An internet fraudster who sold thousands of pounds of fake shoes and clothing over the internet from his Black Country home has been jailed for 18 months. EXPRESS & STAR DUDLEY (WEST MIDLANDS) 17/03/2010 UK

Fake cigarettes go up in smoke as a warning Thirty thousand phoney cigarettes confiscated by West Sussex County Council’s trading standards officers have been torched by fire fighters. CRAWLEY NEWS 17/03/2010 UK

Online piracy ‘costs 39,000 jobs per year’ Illegal downloading costs Britain 39,000 jobs a year - enough people to fill a Premier League football stadium, it was claimed yesterday. METRO LONDON (INC, BRIGHTON) 18/03/2010 UK

Woman sentenced for eBay golf scam A Hertford childminder who helped sell fake golf clubs in the biggest swindle using the eBay online auction has avoided jail. HERTFORDSHIRE MERCURY 18/03/2010 UK; HARINGEY INDEPENDENT 19/03/2010 UK

Bogus rock band T-shirt seller jailed A man who sold rock fans fake T-shirts has been jailed for 16 months. TOTTENHAM & WOOD GREEN JOURNAL 18/03/2010 UK; Fashion world’s enforcer takes on the virtual counterfeit vendor ‘We have invested so much money to enhance and protect our brands and our brand experience that it is impossible to accept a scenario where someone else who has no understanding of this or interest in it would sell our brands and destroy that value’ FINANCIAL TIMES (UK & IRELAND EDITION) 19/03/2010 UK

Beware eye of newt and droppings of bat "Dangerous reactions and possibly death will result from an influx of internet-order medicines containing everything from arsenic to bird droppings," health authorities warn. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 19/03/2010 UK

Delight as fake labels man jailed The prosecution of three fraudsters who conned people out of thousands of pounds on the internet was today welcomed by the trading standards officers in the Black Country who cracked the case. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 19/03/2010 UK

Police seize record haul of fake Gucci goods Detectives seized a record haul of more than 50,000 counterfeit designer goods after smashing an international crime syndicate. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 20/03/2010 UK; WESTERN MAIL SERIES 20/03/2010 UK; SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 20/03/2010 UK; SUN, THE 23/03/2010 UK

University scientists reveal truth about fake golf clubs Scientists at Sheffield Hallam University have carried out a study to discover apparently invisible differences between real and fake golf clubs YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 23/03/2010 UK

Trading warning over fake goods People in Dorset are being warned to be on the look out for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes as the car boot season gets underway this Easter. DORSET ECHO 23/03/2010 UK

Fake cigarettes warning Car booters looking to pick up a bargain are being warned by HM Revenue & Customs to be on the lookout for counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 23/03/2010 UK

Counterfeit cigarettes warning Customs officials are warning Cambrian’s to report car boot traders selling counterfeit cigarettes. CARLISLE NEWS & STAR (SERIES) 23/03/2010 UK

Car boot fake cigs warning People across Yorkshire are being warned by Revenue and Customs to be on the lookout for traders selling counterfeit and smuggle cigarettes as the car boot season gets under way in Yorkshire this Easter. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 23/03/2010 UK

Warning over fake goods People are being warned to be on the look-out traders selling counterfeit cigarettes as the car boot sale season gets under way. SOUTH WALES ECHO 23/03/2010 UK

Google triumph in Louis Vuitton trademark case Google has won a crucial victory in a five-year-long legal battle with Louis Vuitton. GUARDIAN, THE 24/03/2010 UK

Watch out for fake fags West Dorset residents are being warned to look out for traders selling counterfeit and smuggle cigarettes. BRIDPORT NEWS 24/03/2010 UK; DORSET ECHO 24/03/2010 UK

Customs in warning over counterfeit cigs Keith Morgan, specialist investigation detection manager for HMRC, said: "With an estimated £2 billion in revenue being drained from the public purse each year by tobacco smugglers alone, the problem of excise fraud is a real one, which we are determined to crack. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 24/03/2010 UK

Officers crack down on dodgy cigarettes Rogue traders selling counterfeit and smuggle cigarettes were given a stark warning today after a spate of incidents on Wearside SUNDERLAND ECHO 24/03/2010 UK; YOUR LEEK PAPER 24/03/2010 UK

Driver avoids jail over part in smuggling ring A smuggler who was part of a gang which used pasta to hide millions of counterfeit cigarettes has avoided jail. WALSALL ADVERTISER 25/03/2010 UK

Watch out for counterfeit tobacco at car boot sales Car boot goers are being warned by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to be on the look out fro traders settling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes this Easter. BIGGLESWADE CHRONICLE 26/03/2010 UK; BOREHAMWOOD & ELSTREE TIMES 26/03/2010 UK; BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 27/03/2010 UK

Dodgy dealers is spared jail term A dodgy dealer who made £200,000 selling counterfeit goods over the internet is beginning a suspended jail sentence today. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 27/03/2010 UK

Raid on city house finds huge stash of ‘tobacco’ More than a tonne of fake tobaccos - enough to make two million cigarettes was found stashed at a city home. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH (FIRST EDITION) 27/03/2010 UK

Football sticker scam breaks fans hearts In a country where almost everything from Prada handbags to mozzarella has been counterfeited, fraudsters have sunk to a new low with a fake football sticker scam. GUARDIAN, THE 29/03/2010 UK

Fake cigs and booze seized in police haul Police have seized more than £25,000 worth of fake alcohol and cigarettes in a crackdown on black market goods. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 29/03/2010 UK

Counterfeit goods seized from boot sale Almost £50,000 of fake goods was seized at a car boot in what is thought to be the biggest haul in counterfeit items in North Warwickshire. NUNEATON NEWS 30/03/2010 UK

500,000 FAGS HAUL Half a million cigarettes and 23lbs of loose tobacco have been seized in a raid in Blackburn. LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH 30/03/2010 UK

Cousins 51k fine for fake clothing Adil Haq,33,and Mohammed Haq,44, from Wolverhampton had received a 20 month suspended sentence in October for handling 7000 worth of counterfeit good s including popular brands such as Henleys and Henri Lloyd,after a joint operation by Niorth Wales Police and Wrexhan Trading Standards. Daily Post, Wales 31/03/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: February 2010

Counterfeit tobacco is seized Police in Leeds seized thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit tobacco. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 02/02/2010 UK

Warning as rat poo found in cigarettes Counterfeit cigarettes full of rat droppings and sawdust are being sold to children. MORECAMBE VISITOR 03/02/2010 UK

Imperial hits out at plain package Embassy maker Imperial Tobacco yesterday slammed UK plans to force firms to sell cigarettes in plain packaging and claimed the move would fuel illicit trade. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 03/02/2010 UK

How to tell if they’re faking it This month is the Office of Fair Trading annual Scams Awareness Month, a campaign to raise awareness of mass-marketed scams which cost the public around £3.5bn a year. SOUTH WALES ECHO 04/02/2010 UK

Markets target fake goods Markets in Walsall have signed up to a national charter aimed at driving out fake and counterfeit goods from market stalls. WALSALL ADVERTISER 04/02/2010 UK

89K of illegal tobacco found hidden in unit A man avoided a prison sentence after pleading guilty to storing 570,000 smuggled cigarettes WALSALL ADVERTISER 04/02/2010 UK

Rip-off boss in thug threat A market trader selling thousands of pounds of fake designer clothes threatened an official sent to investigate him. SOUTH MANCHESTER REPORTER 04/02/2010 UK

Unsafe fake saws alert Trading standards officers are warning of potentially dangerous counterfeit chainsaws. BRIDPORT NEWS 04/02/2010 UK

Perils of the fake hair tongs Trading watchdogs are urging people - especially teenagers - to be wary of buying fake hair straighteners. CRAVEN HERALD & PIONEER 04/02/2010 UK

New scheme means seized goods can be given to charity Homeless people in Goole have been fed and clothed thanks to a partnership involved with the seizure of counterfeit goods. GOOLE, HOWDEN, THORNE COURIER 04/02/2010 UK

Fake goods and drugs seized in crackdown A day-long crime crackdown carried out by police, council and enforcement officers resulted in 16 arrests and the seizure of hundreds of counterfeit goods. EAST END LIFE 08/02/2010 UK

Drugs and fakes found during raid Drugs and counterfeit clothes were founf in a raid on Tyneside flat NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 09/02/2010 UK

Danger warning over fake hair straighteners bought on web West Yorkshire Trading Standards are advising consumers and in particular parents of young teenagers to check that the ghd hair straighteners they purchased recently are genuine HEBDEN BRIDGE TIMES 11/02/2010 UK; TODMORDEN NEWS 11/02/2010 UK

Trader caught with counterfeit clothes A market trader was caught trying to sell nearly £4,000 worth of fake goods a court heard. NEWS GUARDIAN WHITLEY BAY EDITION 11/02/2010 UK

Trader set for trial over bogus condom charges A Turkish shopkeeper will stand trial this summer accused of selling counterfeit condoms. TOTTENHAM & WOOD GREEN JOURNAL 11/02/2010 UK

Fake clothes and tobacco destroyed Two Burnley shopkeepers have been prosecuted by Lancashire Trading Standards officers following the discovery of counterfeit clothing and tobacco. BURNLEY EXPRESS (FRIDAY) 12/02/2010 UK

Officers stub out sales of fake fags Customs officers seized more than £250,000 of counterfeit cigarettes laced with poisons, rat droppings and insects in North Lincolnshire last year. SCUNTHORPE EVENING TELEGRAPH 12/02/2010 UK

Customs seize 4.2 million cigarettes Customs officers seized 4.2 million cigarettes last night in the largest counterfeit haul ever landed in the Port of Cork. IRISH EXAMINER, THE (EIRE) 13/02/2010 Ireland

Raids net £40k fakes More than £40,000 worth of fake designer clothing has been seized in two raids on the Flyde coast BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 17/02/2010 UK

Fakes seized and arrest made during night raids More than 8,000 fake DVDs and a cannabis farm were found during a night of police raids. STOCKPORT EXPRESS 17/02/2010 UK

Rip-off trader escapes jail A businessman has escaped a jail sentence after masterminding a 350,000 fake clothing empire stretching across the North West SALFORD ADVERTISER (INC. SALFORD CITY REPORTER) 18/02/2010 UK

Fakes seller escapes jail A businessman has escaped a hail sentence after masterminding a 350,000 fake clothing empire stretching across the northwest. NORTH EAST MANCHESTER ADVERTISER 18/02/2010 UK; STOCKPORT EXPRESS 17/02/2010 UK

Fake goods at outdoors show Fake designer goods will be on display at a show which celebrates the great outdoors next month. EXPRESS & STAR DUDLEY (WEST MIDLANDS) 19/02/2010 UK

Counterfeit clothes to go to needy Counterfeit clothing and footwear seized in Bradford and neighbouring districts will be used to help needy people in former Eastern Bloc countries. BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS 20/02/2010 UK; YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 23/02/2010 UK; HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 25/02/2010 UK

Fake clothes man told to pay £51k A man who sold counterfeit clothing at Chick’s car boot sale has been ordered to hand over £51,000 under The Proceeds of Crime Act. LEADER (WREXHAM) 23/02/2010 UK; LEADER (CHESTER) 23/02/2010 UK; OSWESTRY & BORDER COUNTIES ADVERTIZER 26/02/2010 UK

Fake football shirt charge A woman has admitted selling counterfeit football shirts on eBay that she has bought from Bangkok. SOUTH WALES ECHO 23/02/2010 UK

Goods sold online were counterfeit, court told A woman who sold thousands of counterfeit goods through internet auction site eBay appeared before Thetford magistrates yesterday. EASTERN DAILY PRESS 23/02/2010 UK

Cop denies selling fake goods on site A policeman who advertised counterfeit hair straighteners on an internal police website did not know they were fake, a court heard. HALIFAX COURIER (SERIES) 24/02/2010 UK

Police seize fake alcohol Police arrested 27 people in Bury and seized counterfeit alcohol in a crackdown on drink. BURY TIMES 25/02/2010 UK

Officer cleared of selling fake goods A Bradford police officer who lost his job when accused of selling counterfeit goods may appeal against the decision after being cleared. BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS 25/02/2010 UK

Court date for fake cigarettes accused A man accused of distributing counterfeit Regal cigarettes has made his first appearance at court. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 26/02/2010 UK

Confiscated fake designer clothes will be genuinely received ... Nike, Lacoste, Adidas and Stone Island were just some of the fake designer clothes labels in a haul confiscated by West Yorkshire Trading Standards officers. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 26/02/2010 UK

Fake cigarettes worth £6,000 seized from Nelson retailer Lancashire County Council Trading Standards Service is warning that the sale of cheap tobacco is on the increase following a seizure of 1,100 packs of counterfeit Regal cigarettes from a trader in Nelson. NELSON LEADER 26/02/2010 UK

Pudding plea to islanders Islanders on Lewis are being asked to trace the history of Stornoway Black Pudding to protect it from counterfeiters SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 27/02/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: January 2010

No headline Packaging will play an important part in a crackdown on counterfeit drugs when the EU agrees measures to closely trace a drug’s journey from manufacture to purchase. PACKAGING NEWS 01/01/2010 UK

Allergan releases position statement over illegal online Botox. The makers of Botox, Allergan, have issued a statement to Cosmetic News regarding their position on online sales of botulinum toxin. COSMETIC NEWS 01/01/2010 UK

Seizures of fake cigarettes soar Trading standards officers in Derby have seized more than 1,200 packs of counterfeit cigarettes during the past 12 months. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 02/01/2010 UK

Trader is fined for selling fake goods in store.. A Luton trader was handed a hefty fine after being found guilty of selling fake vodka, batteries and condoms at his store. LUTON NEWS & DUNSTABLE GAZETTE 06/01/2010 UK

Fake spirits fear Surrey County Council is cracking down on counterfeit spirits after reports that fake bottles are widespread in the county. REDHILL & REIGATE & HORLEY LIFE 06/01/2010 UK, SURREY ADVERTISER SERIES 06/01/2010 UK

Designer dupes A £100,000 fake goods stash was uncovered in a raid on a Tyneside shop. The goods recovered included bogus jewellery bearing the trademarks of luxury brands including Tiffany, as well as thousands of charms for Pandora bracelets, which were being sold for up to £5 each. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 06/01/2010 UK; NEWCASTLE CHRONICLE EXTRA 13/01/2010 UK

Warning over fake UGG boots Newport council’s trading standards department received three complaints in the run up to Christmas from residents who tried to buy UGG Australia boots online. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 06/01/2010 UK

Huge £3.2m fine for jeweler who sold fake goods An Ashford shop owner has been ordered to pay one of the largest ever fines for trading in fake goods. Guarcharan Singh, 41, will have to pay back £3.2 million. He also received a two year suspended sentence for selling fake bags, shoes and jewellery from his shop and market stall in Folkestone. YOUR ASHFORD 06/01/2010 UK

Officers warn on counterfeit goods Trading standards officers in Carmarthenshire have seized counterfeit goods worth more than 2 million over the last three years. CARMARTHEN JOURNAL 06/01/2010 UK

Buchan nurse facing action A North East nurse faces disciplinary action next week after being convicted of having fake designer stock worth thousands of pounds. Her case was brought before the Nursing and Midwifery Council. ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 16/01/2010 UK; ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 07/01/2010 UK; ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 25/01/2010 UK

Market trader sold fake designer clothes A market trader has been found guilty of selling thousands of pounds worth of fake designer clothing. HACKNEY GAZETTE 07/01/2010 UK

Police and council officers raid store More than 70 items of counterfeit clothing were discovered in a Walthamstow High Street shop following a crackdown by police and council officers. WALTHAM FOREST GUARDIAN (SERIES) 07/01/2010 UK

Custom officers to spread knowledge Visitors to a major show being held in the region will be able to find out more about counterfeit products. NUNEATON NEWS 07/01/2010 UK

Spotting fake booze Environmental health officers have started a new year offensive against counterfeit alcohol with a ‘find’ at a shop in Wealdstone. HARROW OBSERVER 07/01/2010 UK; WEMBLEY OBSERVER 07/01/2010 UK

Man fined 65 but ordered to pay £100k for selling fake Nikes An internet trader who amassed a turnover of almost £100,000 by unwittingly selling fake Nike trainers has been fined just £65 - but will have to pay back all his criminal earnings. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 08/01/2010 UK

Trading standards clamping down on counterfeit alcohol Surrey Country Council’s Trading Standards team is cracking down on pubs and restaurants selling watered- down or counterfeit spirits, and warning residents to look out for counterfeit bottles of vodka. FARNHAM HERALD 08/01/2010 UK

Police seize a huge haul of fake fags A total of 40,000 counterfeit cigarettes and 10kgs of rolling tobacco were seized from the streets of North East Lincolnshire last month. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 12/01/2010 UK

Firm is stubbing out illegal tobacco A Preston marketing firm has been appointed to work on a new campaign to crack down on the purchase and supply of illegal tobacco across the North. LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 14/01/2010 UK

£550,000 bill for couple in eBay scam A couple convicted of selling fake goods on the internet have been told to pay back more than half a million pounds. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 19/01/2010 UK

Fake glasses trader fined A Woolwich market trader was fined for selling fake designer sunglasses during a court case last month. GREENWICH TIME 19/01/2010 UK

Alert to smokers and parents over counterfeit tobacco risks Smokers were today warned not to buy counterfeit tobacco on the streets BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 20/01/2010 UK

Man jailed for sale of counterfeit goods A businessman who turned to selling counterfeit clothes when the recession hit sales, has been jailed for four months. FLINTSHIRE CHRONICLE 21/01/2010 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Illegal tobacco could include rat droppings! Illegal tobacco on sale in Pendle could include everything from sawdust to rat droppings. NELSON LEADER 22/01/2010 UK

Illegal tab traders ‘exploiting chidlren’ Children as young as eight are being sold cigarettes from more than 200 illegal ‘tab houses’ in South Tyneside, say consumer watchdogs SHIELDS GAZETTE 22/01/2010 UK; SHIELDS GAZETTE 23/01/2010 UK

Fraudster faces eight months in jail A fraudster who sold thousands of pounds' worth of fake goods over the Internet has been jailed for 2 years. Desmond Green sold goods including fashion shirts, wallets, DVDs and football shirts over a two-year period on the Internet as genuine. The sentence is intended to punish Green and deter others from making easy money by defrauding the public. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 22/01/2010 UK

Illegal tab traders ‘exploiting chidlren’ Youngsters are being exploited by criminals running so-called tab houses, health officials have warned. SHIELDS GAZETTE 23/01/2010 UK

Rogue booze blitz To the untrained eye it looks like just another unit on a Tyneside industrial estate NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 25/01/2010 UK

Behind the roller doors... a bootleg haul of cigs An illegal haul of cigarettes and tobacco worth thousands of pounds was seized from a flat in Halifax HALIFAX COURIER (SERIES) 26/01/2010 UK

Benefits man had luxury life from fakes A Wigan man who lived a life of luxury on the proceeds of importing fake designer clothing from the Far East has been jailed. WIGAN OBSERVER 26/01/2010 UK

Contraband cigarettes will go to incinerator Around 40,000 smuggled cigarettes will be incinerated after they were found hidden in furniture. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 27/01/2010 UK

Crime-hit market is to close Leeds City Council have decided to close the Sunday market at Cross Green because of the high levels of illegal and counterfeit goods on sale. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 27/01/2010 UK

£1,000 bill for selling fakes A Hendy man has been fined for selling counterfeit clothing on internet auction site eBay LLANELLI STAR 27/01/2010 UK

Market trader caught selling fake goods A Hatfield market stallholder caught selling counterfeit brands has to complete 60 hours of community service, after being convicted by magistrates WELWYN & HATFIELD TIMES 27/01/2010 UK

Scam nurse rapped A nurse caught flogging fake designer clothes on eBay has been severely reprimanded for damaging her profession’s reputation SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 28/01/2010 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

No ban for ‘fake clothes’ nurse A north-east woman convicted of having fake design stock worth thousands of pounds has been told she can continue nursing ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 28/01/2010 UK

Online fake Fake goods seized in 2009 were worth more than £600,000, trading standards officials have revealed LEICESTER MAIL SERIES 28/01/2010 UK

Fake bubbly and vodka seized in raid Bottles of fake champagne and vodka and packs of fake condoms have been seized in the East End by trading standards and customs officers. EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 28/01/2010 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: December 2009

Illegal tobacco racket smashed Thousands of illegal cigarettes have been seized in Wigan. More than 1,500 packets and nearly 44 kilos of hand rolling tobacco were snatched during raids across the town by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) following tip offs from members of the public. WIGAN OBSERVER 01/12/2009 UK

Europe continues to battle counterfeiters The European pharmaceutical market is valued at close to $250 billion, which represents a lucrative prize for criminal gangs. According to the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry Associations (EFPIA), counterfeit products have been found in wholesalers, retail pharmacies and over the internet in nearly all EU member states PHARMATECH.COM 01/12/09

Man, 65, ‘unaware clothing was fake’ A pensioner caught selling fake designer clothes at Bridgnorth market told magistrates he had never heard of the fashionable and sought after labels before. SHROPSHIRE STAR (SERIES) 01/12/2009 UK

Scotch whisky firms...... are hoping new regulations on distilling, bottling and labelling will help protect their products from counterfeiters. PACKAGING NEWS 01/12/2009 UK

Fake pink hair goods warning Wiganers are being warned not to fall foul of a Christmas shopping scam. Fake versions of pink ghd hair straighteners - one of the top Christmas gifts for girls this year - are appearing in Wigan. WIGAN OBSERVER 01/12/2009 UK; WIGAN REPORTER 03/12/2009 UK; WIGAN REPORTER 03/12/2009 UK

Customs nabs 3,000 litres of fake booze Customs officers seized almost 3,000 litres of illicit booze after searching four shops in Colchester. The raids were part of an HM Revenue and Customs clampdown on illegal alcohol sales in Essex DAILY GAZETTE (COLCHESTER) 02/12/2009 UK; SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 02/12/2009 UK

£130m stolen ‘gifts’ online Festive shoppers will spend a record £132 million on stolen or counterfeit goods online this year SUN, THE 03/12/2009 UK

Fake luxury co.uk sites are cut off More than 1,000 websites selling fake designer gear were shut down yesterday in the world’s biggest virtual raid. DAILY MIRROR 03/12/2009 UK

More big earners buy fake goods High earners are more likely to buy counterfeit goods than low earners, says a report out today, with half of people earning more than £50,000 a year admitting to buying counterfeits. SHROPSHIRE STAR (SERIES) 03/12/2009 UK; SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 03/12/2009 UK

Confiscated: fake clobber worth £600k Fake designer clothes worth £600,000 have been seized. The haul of 3,000 items, including counterfeit Prada, Armani, Dolce & Gabanna, Versace and football kits, were a consignment of 60 boxes which were due to be delivered to an address in Westwood Road, Chingford WALTHAM FOREST GUARDIAN (SERIES) 03/12/2009 UK

Police shut 1,2000 websites running counterfeit good scams Scotland Yard has shut down more than 1,200 websites falsely claiming to sell designer clothes and jewellery in what was thought to be the biggest swoop of its kind GUARDIAN, THE 04/12/2009 UK; EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 03/12/2009 UK

Customs officers seize fake booze during raid on shops Customs officers have seized thousands of litres of counterfeit booze during a series of raids across Essex. Officials found home-brewed whisky and vodka being sold as premium brands in two shops in Southend. Echo-news.co.uk 03/12/09 United Kingdom

Websites targeting Christmas shoppers shut down More than 1,200 scam websites targeting Christmas shoppers were shut down yesterday in an unprecedented online raid. LEADER (WREXHAM) 04/12/2009 UK

Hundreds of shopping websites closed as police raid online ... More than 1,200 scam websites targeting Christmas shoppers have been shut down in an unprecedented online raid. Experts at Scotland Yard’s e-crime unit yesterday targeted hundreds of websites run by fraudsters in Asia Hiding behind UK domain names YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 04/12/2009 UK; PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH 04/12/2009 UK; SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 04/12/2009 UK; SHROPSHIRE STAR (SERIES) 04/12/2009 UK; LEADER (WREXHAM) 04/12/2009 UK

Alert is sounded on fake festive gifts Shoppers are being warned to steer clear of buying fake Christmas gifts after council officers seized bogus GHD hair straighteners and hair dryers. ROMFORD RECORDER 04/12/2009 UK; MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 12/12/2009 UK

Fake goods raid on shop A massive haul of brand-name clothing and shoes have been seized from a shop in a blitz on counterfeit goods. GREENOCK TELEGRAPH 05/12/2009 UK

Combating counterfeit consumables The world is full of counterfeit products. Walk through any street market and your will find stalls full ‘designer’ clothes, watches and handbags at unbelievable prices. MICROSCOPE 07/12/2009 UK

Don’t buy dodgy goods Trading standards officers are warning about the dangers of buying counterfeit goods as Christmas gifts. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 07/12/2009 UK

Trader fined A Nuneaton trader who sold counterfeit goods on eBay has been fined and sentenced to community service. NUNEATON NEWS 09/12/2009 UK

Warning to shoppers as police seize £1m of counterfeit goods Fake Rolex watches and Dolce & Gabanna dresses were among 1m worth of counterfeit goods seized during raid on a Lothian house EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS 09/12/2009 UK

£50,000 snatch hits the computer pirates More than £50,000 worth of counterfeit equipment was seized during a raid at a popular computer fair in Wolverhampton. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 09/12/2009 UK

Fake gear seized in operation Three men were arrested at a market in Flinton in an operation targeting sellers of fake clothing and shoes. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 10/12/2009 UK

City trader fine for selling counterfeit goods A Newport trader has was fined more than £1000 after selling counterfeit goods in the city centre. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 10/12/2009 UK

Warning over fake goods on internet Trading standards officers in Wales have warned against buying fake goods online. WESTERN MAIL SERIES 11/12/2009 UK

Fake goods help fund gangsters Police have warned bargain hunters about buying fake goods in the run up to Christmas. The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA), Strathclyde Police and the Scottish Government joined forces at the Barras Market to remind the public about the link between counterfeit goods and serious organised crime. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 12/12/2009 UK

Festive fraudsters As the festive season approaches so does their work load thanks to money-hungry con artists and the desperate rush by residents to buy Christmas presents. KILBURN TIMES 10/12/2009 UK

Spiderman trader awaits verdict on counterfeit toys Verdicts were expected today in the trial of a market trader accused of knowingly selling counterfeit Spiderman toys at Neath Fair. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 10/12/2009 UK

Magnum of Bolly for £25? That’s too good to be true Fake bottles of Bollinger, imitation iPods and rip-off designer purses are just some of the goods seized by police after they were sold to shoppers in Sittingbourne town centre last month. KENT MESSENGER (SITTINGBOURNE EDITION) 11/12/2009 UK

Fake puppies warning Animal lovers thinking of getting a pet this Christmas should be aware of the risks involved in buying a ‘counterfeit’ puppy, says RSPCA HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 12/12/2009 UK; EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 11/12/2009 UK

Roaring trade in fake goods Recession-hit parents tempted to buy counterfeit presents this Christmas could be putting their loved ones’ lives at risk, according to trading standards SOUTH WALES ECHO 12/12/2009 UK

Don’t be fooled Oxfordshire’s online shoppers have been warned to beware of buying fake and unsafe goods over the internet this Christmas OXFORD MAIL 12/12/2009 UK; BICESTER ADVERTISER 17/12/2009 UK

£1 Million in fake designer gear for homeless Homeless people will be wearing designer gear this winter after haul of more than £1 million worth of counterfeit clothes and shoes seized in Renfrewshire was dished out to charities yesterday. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 12/12/2009 UK

Fags to riches gangs busted Scotland’s £400 million illegal tobacco trade is today uncovered by the Record. The massive smuggling and counterfeiting racket is seeing organised criminals amass vast fortunes while dodging UK tax and leaving thousands of smokers puffing on sub-standard cigarettes. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 12/12/2009 UK

Net swindler faces jail term A Blackpool fraudster caught at the centre of internet site eBay’s biggest ever swindle could face jail. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 14/12/2009 UK

Bogus goods warning Bogus designer goods could leave consumers out of pocket, it has been warned. SOUTH WALES ECHO 14/12/2009 UK

Home raid finds ‘designer’ fakes A haul of fake designer clothes has been seized by police from South Tyneside home. Officers carried out a search of the property in Low Simonside, Jarrow, after a tip-off from the public. SOUTH SHIELDS GAZETTE 14/12/2009 UK

Fakes foiled Counterfeit luxury goods, including designer Pandora bracelets, Ugg boots and GHD straighteners, were among a stash seized by Cleveland Police. TEESSIDE EVENING GAZETTE 14/12/2009 UK

Fake designer goods seized Three traders were arrested and around £100,000 worth of fake designer labels seized in raid on market. SOUTH LONDON PRESS (TUESDAY) 15/12/2009 UK

Conman cheated cancer charity A 74-year-old businessman cheated a charity out of thousands of pounds by selling fake hair straighteners. BOLTON EVENING NEWS 15/12/2009 UK

Golf gang guilty Members of a UK criminal network have been convicted of a multi-million-pound global fake golf club scam. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 15/12/2009 UK

Shelves cleared of lethal fake toys Deadly counterfeit toys have been taken off the shelves of Blackpool shops as part of a pre-Christmas purge. Fraudulent Disney goods, including cuddly Mickey Mouse toys and Hannah Montana dolls, were part of the huge consignment of dodgy products confiscated by Trading Standards BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 16/12/2009 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Watch out for those festive fakes Car boot sales, internet auctions and other websites can seem attractive for cheap Christmas gifts. But every year Hampshire County Council’s Trading Standards officers seize over 10,000 items of fake designer goods including perfume, jewellery, clothing, handbags, belts, watches, pens and trainers as well as fake DVDs, music CDs, cigarettes and children’s toys. BASINGSTOKE EXTRA 16/12/2009 UK

Woman guilty of eBay scam charge A former childminder from Hertford has been found guilty of helping to sell fake golf clubs in the biggest ever eBay scam. LEA VALLEY STAR 16/12/2009 UK

Don’t be conned by fake Ugg boots Trading standards officers in Sefton are warning residents not to be a mug when it comes to UGGs FORMBY TIMES 16/12/2009 UK

Police on the lookout for fakes Shoppers looking for a bargain this Christmas have been ripped off by unscrupulous salesman selling fakes in Sittingbourne. EAST KENT GAZETTE 16/12/2009 UK

Stink over fake scents Fake designer clothing and perfume were seized by police and trading standards officers during a raid on a Midland market. EXPRESS & STAR DUDLEY (WEST MIDLANDS) 16/12/2009 UK

Designer fakes seized in raid Fake Rolex watches, Tiffany and Chanel jewellery and designer clothing worth thousands of pounds were seized after police raided a house near Chester. LEADER (CHESTER) 17/12/2009 UK

Fake goods rounded up in Christmas blitz Counterfeiters could spoil Christmas for many Huddersfield families. Consumer watchdogs warned today that towns across West Yorkshire are being swamped with fake goods. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 17/12/2009 UK

Fag shop fined Flogging dodgy cigarettes has proved more than a bit of a fag for one shopkeeper, writes Sarah O’Reilly KILBURN TIMES 17/12/2009 UK

Fake gifts warning given to shoppers Shoppers are being told to beware of buying counterfeit Christmas gifts for family and friends SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 17/12/2009 UK

Market blazes trail against sale of fake merchandise Bury Market is leading a nationwide crackdown on the sale of fake goods. The market team and the council’s trading standards service have introduced stringent vetting procedures to ensure fakes are stamped out. BURY TIMES 17/12/2009 UK

Sun visits secret customs warehouse of smuggled gear For years they have been used to store the bounty seized from smugglers at airports, which these days mainly means that drugs, cash, weapons, booze and cigarettes. SUN, THE 18/12/2009 UK

Checks all clear on fakes Calderdale traders have been praised after checks for counterfeit goods came up clear. In other parts of West Yorkshire trading standards officials seized more than 2,000 fake items. HALIFAX EVENING COURIER 18/12/2009 UK

Gang clubbed together in auction scam Four eBay fraudsters who pulled off the auction site’s biggest ever swindle by selling fake golf clubs around the world are facing jail. ROMFORD RECORDER 18/12/2009 UK

Warning to shoppers as fake goods seized from warehouse Fake goods worth £1m have been seized in a raid on a warehouse in Cheetam Hill. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 18/12/2009 UK

Watchdog warns on fake goods Consumer watchdogs have warned fake goods could be doing the rounds in Neath and Port Talbot SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 18/12/2009 UK

Show fakes are seized Around 700 counterfeit t-shirts were seized at this year’s Clothes Show at the NEC SOLIHULL NEWS 18/12/2009 UK

`Watch out for fakes being sold` Trading standards officers are warning Christmas shoppers in Bradford to be vigilant against counterfeit goods. BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS 19/12/2009 UK

Fakes that make for gift gloom Fake hair straighteners are top of the counterfeit Christmas shopping list, warn West Yorkshire Trading Standards. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 21/12/2009 UK

Counterfeit crook must pay back 3m A man has been told he will be jailed for 10 years unless he can come up with more than 3million in the next six months MEDWAY MESSENGER (MONDAY) (GILLINGHAM, CHATHAM & ROCHESTER) 21/12/2009 UK

Beware traders bearing false goods Bargain hunters should not buy stolen or fake goods just because times are hard, say police and trading standards officers. WOKINGHAM TIMES 23/12/2009 UK; BRACKNELL & ASCOT TIMES 23/12/2009 UK

£1.5m of perfume is seized at dockside An attempt to smuggle 20,000 bottles of counterfeit Coco Chanel perfume, worth more than £1million, through Felixtowe docks has been foiled. EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 23/12/2009 UK; IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 23/12/2009 UK; SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 25/12/2009 UK

Counterfeit booze is seized An attempt to smuggle tens of thousands of bottles of counterfeit spirits has been foiled by the UK Border Agency. A haul of approximately 56,000 litres of vodka and whisky, which arrived from Germany, was discovered at Tilbury Docks. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 24/12/2009 UK

‘Del Buy’ dealer sold art fakes A Marylebone art dealer has been compared to an Only Fools And Horses character for selling cheap prints as fine art. HAM & HIGH SERIES 24/12/2009 UK

Shop owner must pay £3.3m - or go to jail An Ashford shopkeeper who sold fake shoes faces a decade in jail unless he pays off a £3.3 million fine within six months KENTISH EXPRESS SERIES 24/12/2009 UK; FOLKESTONE HERALD 24/12/2009 UK

Warnings over sale of fake gifts Shoppers are being warned not to buy counterfeit goods as Christmas presents. HEYWOOD ADVERTISER 24/12/2009 UK

Ice cream man in porn and cigarettes shame An ice cream man sold porn films and fake cigarettes to children from the back of his van - because sales were slow during winter. TAMESIDE ADVERTISER 24/12/2009 UK

We’ve got crooks to thank for out Christmas treats Young single parents and homeless people have crooks to thank for giving them a brighter Christmas PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 24/12/2009 UK

Warning over dangerous fake goods in January sales Shoppers are being warned to be on the lookout for counterfeit goods in the post-Christmas sales STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 26/12/2009 UK

Crusaders target big stars Australian Test forward Willie Mason and New Zealander Weller Hauraki are the latest players linked with moves to Super League club Crusaders HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 28/12/2009 UK

Crackdown on illegal alcohol Spot checks at pubs and restaurants are being conducted in a crackdown on counterfeit and dangerous booze. LEATHERHEAD ADVERTISER 31/12/2009 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: November 2009

Switched on Industry experts estimate that counterfeit electronic components entering the UK may be costing the sector as much as £1bn annually. PRODUCT & IMAGE SECURITY 01/11/2009 UK

Space-age drug detection Researchers at a UK University have combined crime research and space-age technology to create a new method of detecting counterfeit pharmaceuticals. PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY EUROPE 01/11/2009 United Kingdom

Counterfeits cull Hansgrohe has crushed 10,000 copies of its Radiance shower products which were seized from a Belgian company. Brassware manufacturer Hansgrohe says it is taking such strong action against counterfeit products to maintain the integrity of its brand. ESSENTIAL KITCHEN & BATHROOM BUSINESS 01/11/2009 United Kingdom

The profit of counterfeits The European Fine Chemicals Group (EFCG) has revealed some disturbing facts regarding counterfeit APIs PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY EUROPE 01/11/2009 UK

Spot the difference Counterfeit components are a continuing and growing problem. Counterfeit undermines confidence and is damaging to both individual brands and to entire industry sectors EUREKA 01/11/2009 UK

Last chance to save the Barras Traders at the Barras have drawn up a last-ditch plan to save the world-famous Glasgow market from closure. They are fed up with criminal gangs peddling contraband and counterfeit goods at The Barras and want to end its sleazy image. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 02/11/2009 United Kingdom

Counterfeit clothes won’t go to waste His Church Charity works closely with Trading Standards across the country, re-branding seized counterfeit clothing so that it can be legally given away. PLYMOUTH HERALD 04/11/2009 United Kingdom

Thousands of fake cigarettes seized Hundreds of counterfeit cigarettes and litres of booze have been taken off the streets of North East Lincolnshire. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 04/11/2009 United Kingdom

Smuggler jailed for five years A Walsall smuggler has been handed two prison sentences for illegally importing millions of cigarettes and helping a gang to transport cocaine. WALSALL ADVERTISER 05/11/2009 United Kingdom

Booze ban for fake vodka A newsagent was stripped of his shop and banned from selling spirits for 60 days as punishment for selling counterfeit vodka. ROMFORD & HAVERING WEEKLY POST 05/11/2009 UK

Fake shirts man escapes prison A Wellington man escaped jail after admitting possessing counterfeit football shirts to be sold on the internet. SOMERSET COUNTY GAZETTE 05/11/2009 UK, WELLINGTON WEEKLY NEWS 11/11/2009 UK

‘If you return home we’ll be ready for you’ A couple who allegedly ran Hull’s biggest counterfeit operation and fled overseas have been warned they will be pursued forever. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 05/11/2009 United Kingdom

Fakes Among the goods were fake designer handbags, purses, watches, boots, clothes and jewellery. LIVERPOOL ECHO 09/11/2009 UK

Justice at last for counterfeiter who went on the run A Leeds counterfeiter, jailed in his absence for eight years was officially handed his sentence yesterday after being brought back from Spain following four years on the run. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 10/11/2009 United Kingdom

Jailed, fake designer clothes gang who netted thousands Three men who were part of a gang that netted tens of thousands of pounds by selling fake designer clothes on eBay have been jailed MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 10/11/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over fake medicine Buddies looking for a bargain may be gambling with their lives by using fake medicine. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 10/11/2009 United Kingdom

Know your supplier? Counterfeit components are so widespread that there is every chance you will unknowingly already have some in your home gadgets. NEW ELECTRONICS 10/11/2009 United Kingdom

Man had fake shirts for sale A Wellington man who admitted possessing counterfeit football shirts to be sold on the internet has been given a 12-month community order and told to complete 150 hours- unpaid work. WELLINGTON WEEKLY NEWS 11/11/2009 UK

Hair’s to staying on straight and narrow People are being warned not to buy fake hair straighteners which could cause electric shocks LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 11/11/2009 UK

Bogus Nike trainers seller sentenced A trader who sold thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit trainers and tracksuits ar markets around the Black Country has avoided an immediate jail sentence. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 11/11/2009 UK

No headline Essex county council trading standards officers have donated 2,000 towels to animal charities across the county SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 12/11/2009 UK

Johnny rotten! Shoppers who bought condoms form supermarket could get more than what they bargained for after the store was fined for selling FAKES. KILBURN TIMES 12/11/2009 UK

Fake designer eBay clothes gang jailed A Chorlton man who was part of a gang which netted tens of thousands of pounds by selling fake designer clothes on eBay has been jailed SOUTH MANCHESTER REPORTER 12/11/2009 UK Warning to traders after copies are sold Marked traders in Walsall will not be allowed to rip people off, bosses have warned, after a stallholder was caught selling counterfeit trainers and tracksuits EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 12/11/2009 UK

Shop fined for selling fake goods A shop in Kingsbury has been fined for selling fake condoms and batteries/ Officers from Trading Standards discovered counterfeit Duracell batteries and Durex condoms were being sold at Al Wan Supermarket in Kingsbury Road. WEMBLEY OBSERVER 12/11/2009 UK

75k in fake goods seized at market A trader caught selling counterfeit goods fled his stall when officers carried out a raid in Bescot Market last week. Nike trainers, G-star jeans and Ralph Lauren items were among the seized haul of more than 1,100 counterfeit goods, which would have sold for around 75,000 WALSALL ADVERTISER 12/11/2009 UK

Fake cigarettes hidden in lorry Six million counterfeit cigarettes were seized when an industrial unit in Aldridge was raided. The huge haul was discovered inside an HGV in boxes labelled `mixed vegetables` WALSALL ADVERTISER 12/11/2009 UK

What is ACTA and what should I know about it? Unlike other high-powered government meetings - which are often accompanied by protests and brouhaha - ACTA, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, has been progressing for two years without much fanfare. GUARDIAN, THE 12/11/2009 United Kingdom

Paying for Dr Who toys in time A woman guilty of selling fake Dr Who merchandise and potentially lethal toys at Sutton’s St Nicholas Centre was ordered to pay back £14,000. SUTTON GUARDIAN 12/11/2009 United Kingdom

I smoke Dunghill Customs officials seized fake fags worth more than £1million - filled with rabbit poo! SUN, THE 14/11/2009 United Kingdom

Man admits selling fakes after swoop A Pilning man has admitted selling counterfeit clothing, films and computer games as well as possessing a ‘chipped’ games console. BRISTOL EVENING POST (SERIES) 14/11/2009 United Kingdom

£20m illegal cigarettes seized Seven people have been arrested after around 20million illegal cigarettes, suspected to be counterfeit, were seized at Britain’s biggest port. EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 14/11/2009 United Kingdom

Russian crime gangs Russian crime gangs are making millions by flogging counterfeit Tami flu to paranoid Britons online, it was claimed today. LEADER (CHESTER) 16/11/2009 UK, SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 16/11/2009 UK, SHEFFIELD STAR 16/11/2009 UK, DONCASTER STAR 16/11/2009 UK, METRO LONDON (INC, BRIGHTON) 16/11/2009 UK

Fake clothes cash hidden A painter and decorator hid almost 10,000, mostly made from selling fake designer clothes, around his home and garden. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 15/11/2009 UK

Fake Tamiflu alert Russian crime gangs are making millions by selling counterfeit Tamiflu to paranoid Britons online, it is being clamed. METRO LONDON (INC, BRIGHTON) 16/11/2009 UK; LEADER (CHESTER) 16/11/2009 UK; SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 16/11/2009 UK; SHEFFIELD STAR 16/11/2009 UK; DONCASTER STAR 16/11/2009 UK; LEADER (WREXHAM) 16/11/2009 UK

Fake goods targeted in campaign An anti-counterfeiting campaign is to be launched by Stoke-On-Trent City Council this month to deter people from buying fake goods before Christmas STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 17/11/2009 UK eBay bogus bags scam Fraud watchdogs in York snared a woman who used an internet auction site to sell almost 7,000 worth of fake handbags to a York resident and others YORK EVENING PRESS 17/11/2009 UK

Hooky street crooks Millions of pounds worth of fake designer gear - blatant rip-offs of big names like Armani, Ugg and Boss- is being shipped up the M6 to flood Scottish markets SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 17/11/2009 UK

Guilty, the eBay fraudster who helped net £250,000 A man who played a key role in an eBay counterfeit clothing scam that netted almost a quarter of a million pounds has been jailed for 15 months. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 17/11/2009 United Kingdom

Fake jackets found Police recovered 26 fake jackets each carrying a £400 for sale label when they raided a house on the Waterside. SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO 18/11/2009 United Kingdom

75,000 haul of fake goods seized Officers have seized 75,000 fake cigarettes, counterfeit DVDs, jewellery and clothes. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 19/11/2009 United Kingdom

No market for fakes Everyone likes a bargain but there are times when the cheap option is the bad one. One of those times is when the goods that you are buying - and that can mean anything from clothes and DVDs to jewellery and cigarettes turn out to be counterfeit HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 19/11/2009 UK

Fake goods haul Cigs, DVDs and jewellery seized at Hillhouse shop. Tens of thousands of pounds worth of allegedly counterfeit goods were seized in a raid on a Huddersfield convenience shop and house. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 19/11/2009 UK

Conmen built heir kitty on rock’n’roll A Mill Hill man has been jailed for 21 months for his part in selling counterfeit rock `n` roll memorabilia. EDGWARE & MILL HILL TIMES 19/11/2009 UK

Conmen built their kitty on rock’n’roll A Mill Hill man has been jailed for 21 months for his part in selling counterfeit rock’n’roll memorabilia. In June 2007, more than 158,000 items including T-shirts, wrist bands and wallets were seized during a raid by officers after test purchase confirmed them to be counterfeit. HENDON TIMES SERIES 19/11/2009 UK

Shop owner’s fake bags fine A Hyde shop owner has admitted possessing fake designer clothing and handbags. Ishmael Mensah, 43, of Carrfield, Old Road, Hyde, admitted stocking counterfeit Chanel, Prada, DKNY, and Chloe goods at his store, Blue Sky Fashions in Manchester Road, in September 2008 TAMESIDE ADVERTISER 19/11/2009 UK

Live it In a sleepy suburban street, police and under-cover agents prepare to raid the HQ of a lucrative drugs ring. There is big money being made in counterfeit medicines, which are sold mainly on the internet. SUN, THE 19/11/2009 United Kingdom

The pooches wrapped up in style for winter Retired greyhounds are ready for the catwalk after trading standards officers donated fake designer gear that they had seized. EPPING FOREST GUARDIAN 19 Nov 2009 Country: UK

Medicines regulator plays down threat of fake drugs The medicines regulator yesterday played down the threat from counterfeit medicines, in a swipe at fresh, corporate-funded efforts to highlight fake drugs as a growing risk in the UK and Europe. FINANCIAL TIMES (UK & IRELAND EDITION) 20/11/2009 UK

Sold fake goods A Hyde trader caught out selling fake designer goods has been hit with a 750 court bill. TAMESIDE REPORTER 19/11/2009 UK

20m suspect ciggies seized A container full to the brim with an estimated 10 million suspected counterfeit cigarettes was seized from an industrial unit in Upminster ROMFORD RECORDER 20/11/2009 UK

Fakes fear Trading Standards officers are clamping down on rogue traders targeting Christmas shoppers in Valley Park CROYDON ADVERTISER 20/11/2009 UK

Jailed over cigarette smuggling A Ripley man has been jailed for heading a smuggling ring that stole £200,000 of public money. SURREY ADVERTISER SERIES 20/11/2009 UK

Arrest over fake fag haul An estimated 20 million illegal cigarettes shipped into Tilbury have been seized. The cigarettes, believed to be counterfeit, were worth about 3.4milion in potential duty. THURROCK GAZETTE 20/11/2009 UK

Pair jailed over scam on eBay A couple have been spared jail for their part in a con in which thousands of pounds worth of fake designer goods were sold on website eBay. NORTHERN ECHO 21/11/2009 UK; TEESSIDE EVENING GAZETTE 21/11/2009 UK

Jailed over cigarette smuggling A Ripley man has been jailed for heading a smuggling ring that stole 200,000 of public money. Christopher Machay, 50, spearheaded the plot to import nearly 1,4 million counterfeit cigarettes into the country. WOKING REVIEW 21/11/2009 UK

Fakes scotched A crackdown on counterfeit Scotch whisky will be launched this week. From tomorrow, port authorities will impound cheap foreign spirits claiming to be the real thing and slap fines on the importers SUNDAY MIRROR 22/11/2009 UK

Fake alert Trading Standards officers are clamping down on rogue traders targeting Chirstmas shoppers in Valley Park CROYDON & SUTTON POST 25/11/2009 UK Fake tobacco ‘may have been rat droppings and sawdust’ A haul of counterfeit tobacco and cigarettes seized but for Customs they would have found their way onto the streets of derby, officials say DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 25/11/2009 UK

Fake medicine den shut down A Chelmsford home was raided as part of the world’s biggest crackdown on the sale of fake medicines. Interpol and the UK Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) raided 13 homes and businesses across England, including a house in Broomfield Chelmsford netting a total of 300,000 worth of illicit prescription only drugs ESSEX CHRONICLE SERIES 26/11/2009 UK

Woman must pay for fake clothes A north-east woman has been ordered to pay back more than £100,000 she made selling counterfeit clothes on eBay ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 27/11/2009 UK; ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 27/11/2009 UK

Fake that An ex-cop’s wife who made thousands selling fake designer clothes on eBay has been ordered to pay back £105,000. Fiona Begg, 47, has been hit with what is though to be the highest confiscation order made by a UK court after a trading standards probe. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 28/11/2009 UK; HERALD, THE (GLASGOW) 28/11/2009 UK

‘Fake gifts’ Xmas shop raided by officers A Christmas shop was raided after angry customers claimed they had bought fake electrical items - and even empty boxes. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 28/11/2009 UK

Public given warning over cheap cigarettes Smokers have been warned about the dangers of buying dodgy fags from street traders in Doncaster town centre. Cheap cigarettes being touted in the Baxter Gate shopping precinct are either smuggled or fake with profits going to criminals, according to Britain’s tobacco manufacturers DONCASTER STAR 30/11/2009 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: October 2009

Man jailed after fake designer goods seized in swoop at lock-up A ‘delivery man’ has been jailed for 10 months after thousands of fake designer goods were seized in Leeds. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 01/10/2009 United Kingdom

F for fake There was a time when counterfeit personal care products were commonly crude fake perfumes pedalled in markets and workplaces during Christmas and other festive periods to bargain hunters who knew thet were buying rubbish. EUROPEAN COSMETIC MARKETS [ECM] 01/10/2009 United Kingdom

Fake gadgets warning People are being warned not to be fooled by criminals selling fake versions of a popular gadget. Newham Council is warning residents to look out for imitations of the Apple iPhone after a woman was caught up in a scam on popular auction site eBay. STRATFORD & NEWHAM YELLOW ADVERTISER 01/10/2009 UK, NEWHAM RECORDER 07/10/2009 UK

‘Showroom’ full of fake designers worth £6m Six million pounds worth of counterfeit goods has been seized in one of the biggest hauls ever seen by industry experts. ILFORD RECORDER SERIES 01/10/2009 United Kingdom

Fake golf clubs sold from shed An internet gang who allegedly made millions selling fake golf clubs across the globe, distributed them from a pensioner’s garden shed, a court heard on Tuesday. ROMFORD RECORDER 02/10/2009 United Kingdom

Counterfeit vodka seized A major counterfeit vodka manufacturing and bottling plant has been smashed in Leicestershire in a two-day operation, following raids by HM Revenue and Customs officers. BURTON MAIL 02/10/2009 United Kingdom

Spirit ring smashed A counterfeit booze factory capable of making 100,000 bottles of vodka has been raided. SUN, THE 02/10/2009 United Kingdom

Tide turns against eBay again over fakes On September 17, eBay delivered a petition to the European parliament demanding a law change to stop luxury brands controlling where their goods are sold. ANTIQUES TRADE GAZETTE 03/10/2009 United Kingdom

Customs raids net £40,000 in illegal cigarettes and tobacco A Revenue Customs team has seized contraband cigarettes and tobacco with an estimated street value of £40,000 following a major surveillance operation. IRISH INDEPENDENT (EIRE) 03/10/2009 Ireland

Justice ‘SKEWED’ as Revenue staff get bonus payments for... Senior prosecution officials have received personal bonuses for seizing defendants’ assets under an incentive scheme which, it is feared, could create miscarriages of justice. TIMES, THE 05/10/2009 United Kingdom

The false economy of fakes

Who among us has never bought a fake Louis Vuitton bag costing less than the price of a bag of messages? Or an imitation Rolex? HERALD, THE (GLASGOW) 06/10/2009 United Kingdom

Warning on iPhone con Residents are being warned to look out for imitation iPhones after a Beckon woman was caught up in a scam on auction site eBay. NEWHAM RECORDER 07/10/2009 United Kingdom

Detection device could help to win war on counterfeit drugs University of Leicester researchers have diversified their space research activities to develop a system that can identify quickly a counterfeit drug product. PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING 07/10/2009 United Kingdom

Fake Boop swoop alert for traders Bogus Betty Boop goods are being widely sold in Blackpool and must be taken off the shelves immediately, warn Trading Standards chiefs. TEESSIDE EVENING GAZETTE 08/10/2009 United Kingdom

Counterfeit haul: man is arrested A man has been arrested following a multi-million pound seizure of counterfeit designer goods. The items - handbags, belts, clothes and accessories - were found by Trading Standards officers last week. ILFORD RECORDER SERIES 08/10/2009 United Kingdom

Detection Gifts that turned out to be fakes Three boxes of counterfeit clothing, found in the back of a car during a routine police check, were destined as family gifts rather than for commercial gain, a court was told. CRAVEN HERALD & PIONEER 08/10/2009 United Kingdom

Trader fined for fake goods A rogue trader who admitted selling fake designer socks and underwear has been fined. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 08/10/2009 United Kingdom

A war on fakes Shoppers are being warned to buy carefully for Christmas this year after police and trading standards confiscated a large haul of fake goods in Hounslow. HOUNSLOW BOROUGH CHRONICLE 09/10/2009 United Kingdom

Fugitive forger caught by police on the run in the sun A millionaire fugitive who set up a huge forgery operation in Huddersfield is heading back to West Yorkshire. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 09/10/2009 United Kingdom

Holidaymakers urged not to buy fake goods abroad Holidaymakers at Aberdeen Airport were urged not to line the pockets of human traffickers, gun runners and drug dealers by buying fake goods on their trips abroad. ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 10/10/2009 United Kingdom

Fake trainer man guilty The smell of glue alerted traffic cops to 1,400 fake Nike trainers - worth 120,000 had they been real - when they stopped a market trader driving home on the M1 motorway, near Northampton NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 13/10/2009 United Kingdom

Police sniff out fake trainers worth 120k The smell of glue alerted traffic cops to 1,400 fake Nike trainers - worth £120,000 had they been real - when they stopped a market trader driving home on the M1 motorway. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 13/10/2009 UK, NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 13/10/2009 UK

Trademark thieves prosecuted Traders who sold illegal novelty football, music and clothing themed car number plates throughout north west London have been ordered to pay more than 18,000 by a crown court judge WEMBLEY OBSERVER 15/10/2009 United Kingdom

An Ugg-ly incident over fake footwear Love them or loathe them, Ugg boots - those shapeless, saggy clodhoppers - are a must-have fashion item, and the target of fakers. SHEFFIELD STAR 16/10/2009 UK, DONCASTER STAR 16/10/2009 UK

Clothing sold on market was fake Two men who admitted a series of offences of selling counterfeit clothing at the Chirk Car Boot sale in the summer were given a suspended prison sentence yesterday. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (WELSH EDN) 13/10/2009 UK, Chester Evening Leader 23/10/2009 UK

‘Pay back 700k of fortune from counterfeits’ A businessman who bank-rolled a lavish life-style selling counterfeit clothes and jewellery has been ordered to pay back more than £700,000. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (WELSH EDITION) 13/10/2009 United Kingdom

Court ‘shock’ for fake Armani clothes couple A couple who claimed they inadvertently sold counterfeit goods through an internet auction site have been given 120 hours’ community service at York Crown Court. YORK EVENING PRESS 14/10/2009 United Kingdom

Knock-off goods trader must pay A retailer has been fined for selling counterfeit designer clothing. Northamptonshire County Council’s trading standards officers started investigating 46-year-old Michael McRitchie after making a test purchase at a stall. NORTHAMPTON HERALD & POST 15/10/2009 United Kingdom

Trademark thieves prosecuted Traders who sold illegal novelty football, music and clothing themed car number plates throughout north west London have been ordered to pay more than £18,000 by crown court judge HARROW OBSERVER 15/10/2009 UK, EALING & ACTON GAZETTE 16/10/2009 UK, FULHAM GAZETTE 16/10/2009 UK

Fake Fake goods traders fined 18k Traders in Northolt who sold illegal novelty football, music and clothing themed car number plates in north west London have been ordered to pay more than 18,000 by crown court judge EALING & ACTON GAZETTE 16/10/2009 UK, FULHAM GAZETTE 16/10/2009 United Kingdom

Fake goods warning for city airport passengers Police are targeting travellers heading out of Edinburgh Airport in a bid to halt the trade in fake designer goods. EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS 17/10/2009 United Kingdom

Faker to pay up

A street cleaner who sold fake clothes and shoes over the internet has been ordered to pay more than £500 in compensation to his York victim. YORK EVENING PRESS 21/10/2009 United Kingdom eBay fraudster sold fake computer goods A businessman caught with fake computer products has been given a suspended prison sentence. NORTH WEST EVENING MAIL (SERIES) 21/10/2009 UK, NORTH WEST EVENING MAIL (SERIES) 22/10/2009 UK

Ebay fraud: sentencing welcomed Trading Standards officials have welcomed the sentence given to a businessman caught with fake computer items. NORTH WEST EVENING MAIL (SERIES) 22/10/2009 United Kingdom

Dock patrol nets 1.5m illegal cigs Some 1.5 million cigarettes heading for the black market have been uncovered in a single haul at King George Dock in Hull. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 22/10/2009 United Kingdom

Drugs, stun-gun and counterfeit clothes seized in police raids Police have made a number of arrests and seized a quantity of drugs believed to be cocaine, cannabis, ketamine and valium after executing warrants at four addresses in Lowestoft on Monday. EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 22/10/2009 United Kingdom

Acting to stub out illicit trade While businesses across East Yorkshire continue to make great strides forward, local authorities are also enjoying success in tackling a world-wide problem - the illicit tobacco industry. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 22/10/2009 United Kingdom

Four arrested over `fake cigarettes` Four men were arrested after nearly four million suspected counterfeit cigarettes were seized at Cardiff docks, police said yesterday. WESTERN MAIL SERIES 23/10/2009 United Kingdom

Two sentenced for selling counterfeit clothing Two men from the Midlands have received suspended prison sentences for the sale and possession of counterfeit clothing at Chirk car boot sale. www Chester Evening Leader (UK) 23/10/2009 United Kingdom

Four million fake ciggies discovered in toy crate Customer officers have uncovered four million counterfeit cigarettes in a crate of toys at Cardiff Docks SOUTH WALES ECHO 23/10/2009 United Kingdom

9m trade in toxic cigs made with dead flies A 9M Derby trade in counterfeit cigarettes made with toxic ingredients including asbestos, rat droppings and dead flies, has left at least half a dozen smokers ill. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 24/10/2009 United Kingdom

Four arrested over ‘fake cigarettes’ Four men were arrested after nearly four million suspected counterfeit cigarettes were seized at Cardiff docks, police said yesterday. WESTERN MAIL SERIES 23/10/2009 UK, WALES ECHO 23/10/2009 United Kingdom

Police net a huge haul An Aladdin’s cave of knock-off gear worth thousands was found in a raid on a home. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE SUNDAY SUN 26/10/2009 United Kingdom

Barras blitz Police seized 2.5m of suspected counterfeit goods in massive raid on the Barras. The huge haul of what is believed to be fake designer fashion, trainers and jewellery is one of the largest taken in Glasgow GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 26/10/2009 United Kingdom

Owners must act to clean up The Barras The trade in counterfeit goods might seem like a victimless crime. However, the reality is that fake clothing’ jewellery and dodgy DVDs are often linked to drug gangs and violence. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 26/10/2009 United Kingdom

Campaign targets fake parts Counterfeit goods of all types have a detrimental effect on the UK’s economy and estimates put the cost of the practice at £30billion and 14,800 jobs. NEW ELECTRONICS 27/10/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over scary fakes Halloween revelers are being warned against buying counterfeit goods over the spooky period LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO 28/10/2009 United Kingdom

Rogue traders in city are fined Newport Trading Standards prosecuted three traders as it continues its crackdown on rogue operators in the city. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 28/10/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over fake watches Police are warning shoppers to be alert after a man tried to entice elderly people to buy extortionately- priced watches. LEEK POST & TIMES 28/10/2009 United Kingdom

Booze sale ban over fake vodka A Hornchurch off licence has been banned from selling spirits for 60 days after being caught by Havering Council selling counterfeit vodka. ESSEX ENQUIRER 29/10/2009 UK, ROMFORD RECORDER 30/10/2009 UK

PRESS CUTTINGS: September 2009

Counterfeiting Counterfeiting is on the increase, in part driven by the growth of the internet and far-Eastern manufacturing. EU seizures of fake goods more than doubled last year to £178 million. A new anti- counterfeiting event at Olympia this September will showcase everything from security inks, holograms, track and trace, to internet monitoring tools. CAR & ACCESSORY TRADER [CAT] 01/09/2009 United Kingdom

‘Don’t buy fake religious Zam water’ Scamsters are selling fake religious water containing high levels of arsenic. Lancashire trading standards service is warning Muslims to avoid drinking Zam Zam water during the Ramadan period. Zam Zam water is sacred to Muslims. LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 01/09/2009 United Kingdom

Fake goods seized from Moreton Market stall Trading Standards officers have seized £539 worth of fake goods at Moreton’s weekly Tuesday market. Assisted by Moreton’s Police Community Support Officer Gloucestershire County Council Trading Standards service seized 315 items a stall. COTSWOLD JOURNAL 03/09/2009 United Kingdom

Watch out for fake goods Visitors to the Great Dorset Steam Fair have been warned to be on their guard against the sale of counterfeit goods. And Dorset County Council’s trading standards department has told traders not to risk the heavy penalties that could result if they are caught selling these goods. WESTERN GAZETTE (SERIES) 03/09/2009 United Kingdom

Man sentenced for clothing con A Damnsonwood man who made more than £40,000 by selling counterfeit clothes on the internet has been given a suspended sentence. David Yardley, 27, of Draycote Close, had duped people into buying fake clothing and footwear on the auction site eBay. SOLIHULL NEWS 04/09/2009 United Kingdom

Faking hell: why the law’s an ass Counterfeiting goods is a $200 billion (£122.5bn) industry, accounting for seven percent of the world’s trade says the International Chamber of commerce (ICC). But loopholes in the current law have been highlighted in a recent court ruling. MOBILE NEWS 07/09/2009 United Kingdom

Officers seized fakes costing £1.6m Dangerous fake hair straighteners and counterfeit football shirts were among goods worth more than £1.6m million seized by UK Border Agency officers, it was revealed yesterday. The agency seized £1,646,173 of counterfeit goods coming into the country in four months, from April 1 to July 31. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 08/09/2009 United Kingdom

£1.6m of fakes seized Dangerous fake hair straighteners and counterfeit football shirts are among goods worth more than £1.6m seized by UK Border Agency officers. The agency seized £1,464,173 of counterfeit goods coming into the country in just four months from April 1 to July 31. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 08/09/2009 UK, SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 08/09/2009 UK EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 08/09/2009 UK

Don’t get caught out by counterfeit goods Bargain hunters have been urged to shop at safe Lincolnshire market sites or run the risk of buying dangerous goods. More than 30 county car boot sales and markets are committed to a code of practice which aims to clamp-down on the sale of fake and illegal products. LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO 09/09/2009 United Kingdom

Market trader admits to sale of counterfeit toys A market trader has avoided jail after admitting selling dangerous and counterfeit toys on his stall. Mark Newton, 35, pleaded guilty to selling the toys, which contained high levels of poisonous chemicals, and which were also highly flammable. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 11/09/2009 United Kingdom

Cig charge A Lancashire man has pleaded not guilty to failing to pay duty on 5.3m of counterfeit cigarettes. WIGAN EVENING POST 11/09/2009 UK, LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 11/09/2009 UK

And finally... I’ve recently returned from a fortnight in Turkey. Virtually every stall in the local market was awash with counterfeit goods – any brand you care to name from Rolex to Lacoste. Counterfeit goods are now a global problem with legitimate tax-paying businesses suffering at the hands of the criminal gangs behind the multimillion pound ‘knock-off’ industry. GUARDIAN, THE 12/09/2009 United Kingdom

Bogus eBay seller escapes jail term A Damsonwood man has been ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work after being prosecuted for selling fake clothing on internet auction site eBay. David Adam Yardley, 27, was also given a curfew order and a suspended custodial sentence by judge at Warwick Crown Court on Thursday. SOLIHULL ,SHIRLEY & ARDEN OBSERVER 10/09/2009 United Kingdom

Counterfeit clothes sold at car boot sale Two men have admitted selling counterfeit copies of some of the world’s most famous clothing brands at Chirk car boot sale WREXHAM EVENING LEADER 15/09/2009 United Kingdom

Officers seize fake designer clothes Trading standards officers seized more than 1,000 fake designer clothes - from a single trader. The con artist at Bourn Market had a van stuffed full of polo shirts, hoodies, tracksuits, sweaters and T-shirts. CAMBRIDGE NEWS 17/09/2009 United Kingdom

Fake cigs seized A plot to smuggle a million counterfeit cigarettes into Britain has been foiled. The fake Regal and Superkings, hidden in electric fans, were found at Felixtowe, Suffolk. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 17/09/2009 UK, EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 17/09/2009 UK, EXPRESS & STAR (STAFFORD) 17/09/2009 UK, EXPRESS & STAR (STAFFORD) 17/09/2009 UK,

Pair tried to smuggle fake fags in through the back door A company director has been jailed after attempting to smuggle 1.2 million counterfeit cigarettes into the UK. Ihtesham Ali Hassan, 30, of Cefn Coed Road, Cefn Coed Cardiff, was given an 18-month prison sentence after being found guilty of knowingly evading duty on a huge consignment of fake cigarettes illegally. SOUTH WALES ECHO 17/09/2009 United Kingdom

Trader who sold fake goods could be jailed A man who sold counterfeit goods on the internet could be jailed. Stephen Bradshaw sold more than 2,000 Sony branded memory cards and memory sticks through online auction sites eBay and Amazon, between July 2007 and July 2008, a court heard. NORTH WEST EVENING MAIL (SERIES) 17/09/2009 United Kingdom

Jail sentences for men who sold fake trainers Two Walsall men have been jailed after Trading Standards seized more than 1,000 pairs of counterfeit trainers from their market stall. Nazakat Hussain, aged, 35, and Sajid Hussain, aged 27, both of Hospital Street, were arrested following a raid on their stall at Wembley Market in north London. WALSALL ADVERTISER 17/09/2009 United Kingdom

Rugby star faces court on Internet scam charge A Hull FC star has appeared in court charged with an alleged £100,000 Internet ink cartridge scam. Great Britain international Gareth Raynor, 31, appeared at Hull Crown Court charged jointly with his partner, Catriona Thomson, 27, of Brough, with 14 counts of fraud and counterfeiting. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 18/09/2009 United Kingdom

Trader used eBay to sell fake goods Fraudulent internet trader Paul Clarke has received a suspended prison sentence after selling counterfeit goods on eBay. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL 18/09/2009 United Kingdom

Disney foods fake Sponge Bob Square pants and Hannah Montana items were among the counterfeit goods being sold at Ipswich market stall, a court has heard. EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 19/09/2009 United Kingdom

Men admit selling ‘fake’ goods at car boot sale Two men have admitted a series of offences of selling counterfeit clothing at the Chirk Car Boot sale in the summer. OSWESTRY & BORDER COUNTIES ADVERTIZER 22/09/2009 United Kingdom

Fake goods sold at parties A mother sold fake designer jewellery and boots at parties she organised for her friends. BRIGHTON ARGUS 23/09/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over online hair straighteners Customers are being warned about buying top brand hair straighteners off the internet. BOLTON EVENING NEWS 23/09/2009 United Kingdom

Internet buyers ‘cheated in biggest fraud’ Fake golf clubs and luxury goods worth millions of pounds were sold to unsuspecting eBay customers around the world in the largest fraud of its kind, a court heard yesterday. The four-year internet scam involved an international network of criminals, London’s Snaresbrook Crown Court was told. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 23/09/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over illegal booze South Tynesider’s have been warned to keep an eye out for phoney goods after thousands of gallons of illegal booze was uncovered in a warehouse raid SOUTH SHIELDS GAZETTE 24/09/2009 United Kingdom

Trading standards warn of danger straighteners Customers are being warned about buying top brand hair straighteners off the internet. WIGAN REPORTER 24/09/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over fake hair irons Don’t let bad hair day put your life at risk. That’s the stark from Wigan’s trading standards chiefs after fears that counterfeit electrical straighteners are flooding the borough WIGAN EVENING POST 24/09/2009 United Kingdom

Man jailed after fake designer goods seized in swoop at lock-up A `delivery man` has been jailed for 10 months after thousands of fake designer goods were seized in Leeds YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 24/09/2009 United Kingdom

Team swoops to nab stall cheat Another trader from Wembley Market has been hauled before the court for selling fake goods KILBURN TIMES 24/09/2009 United Kingdom

Blitz on counterfeits at car boot sales Denbighshire Trading Standards section was involved in a North Wales operation last weekend to target local markets and car boot sales in a major crackdown on selling counterfeit and unsafe goods. DENBIGHSHIRE FREE PRESS (SERIES) 24/09/2009 United Kingdom

‘Biggest ever eBay fraud’ An internet gang, led by a Rainham man, may have made millions of pounds selling fake golf clubs on eBay and won an award for shipping so much equipment, a court heard this week ROMFORD RECORDER 25/09/2009 United Kingdom

Container Centralen settles trolley counterfeit case Container Centralen (CC) said it has stopped a company copying its plant transport trolleys in the same way as Gucci bags, Rolex watches or Nike clothes are counterfeited HORTICULTURE WEEK 25/09/2009 United Kingdom eBay turn the screw further with EU petition More than 250,000 people in the UK have signed up to an Ebay petition to stop luxury goods brands from restricting the sale of their products. The 750,000 signature petition, delivered to the European parliament on September 17, follows on from a series of court victories eBay have won across Europe in the past few months against luxury brands who wanted to hold the online giant to account for fake goods - including exclusive collectables such as jewellery - sold via their site. ANTIQUES TRADE GAZETTE 26/09/2009 United Kingdom

Almost 9m cigarettes seized from lorry container at dock Almost nine million suspected counterfeit cigarettes were seized in Belfast yesterday. The Regal king-size cigarettes, which originated in China, were discovered on board a 40ft lorry container at Belfast docks IRISH NEWS (BELFAST) 30/09/2009 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: August 2009 eBay enlists antiques experts in fight against online fakes eBay UK is recruiting members of the antiques industry to work in partnership with the online marketplace to tackle counterfeits online. The new anti-counterfeit campaign - Fighting Fakes with eBay - will encourage rights owners to join eBay’s Verified Rights Owner programme (VeRO) and use their expertise to ensure that potentially fake items are removed before consumers can purchase them. COLLECTORS GAZETTE 01/08/2009 United Kingdom

Counterfeit C&T product seizures fall by a quarter The number of counterfeit personal care products seized by EU customs teams fell by a quarter in 2008, compared to 2007, according to the latest European Commission figures. EUROPEAN COSMETIC MARKETS [ECM] 01/08/2009 UK SOAP PERFUMERY & COSMETICS [SPC] 01/08/2009 UK

Smoke out our street tobacco Counterfeit cigarette dealers are being targeted in Wigan. State-of-the-art hand-held scanners are being introduced to detect illegal cigarettes and tobacco. Specialist detection teams have also been set up to track down counterfeit tobacco dealers across the borough. WIGAN EVENING POST 01/08/2009 United Kingdom

Counterfeit connectors Although counterfeiting is most often associated with currency and coins, counterfeiting, in reality, reaches far beyond this. Counterfeiting includes: - The fraudulent manufacturing of product that intentionally copies another product which is patented, copyrighted, or trademarked; - The altering of an original product with the intent to deceive or defraud. EE TIMES EUROPE (BELGIUM) 01/08/2009 United Kingdom

Eight retailers probed for selling bogus cigarettes Eight retailers are being investigated by the Revenue after they were discovered selling counterfeit cigarettes. The cigarettes display fake Irish Tax stamps and came to light after series of "test purchases". A spokesman for the Revenue said the figure of eight investigations excluded separate probes into other smuggled cigarettes in markets and by street sellers. SUNDAY TRIBUNE, THE (EIRE) 02/08/2009 Ireland

Hard times Meet the baby-faced dealer who is doing stiff trade illegally selling counterfeit Viagra tablets to not-so- hard-up punters. The dodgy crook, who goes by the name of Fabio, is charging his customers £6.25 for each individual pill. On prescription a box of four pills cost £54. IRISH DAILY STAR ON SUNDAY 02/08/2009 Ireland

Makers of fakes target brands with sporting links Decking out your family in next season’s rugby or football strips can be a costly business, so it’s no surprise there is a lucrative market for counterfeiters or replica shirts, hats or tracksuits. According to the US Chamber of Commerce, counterfeiting costs the world economy about $650bn every year and it not only hits organisations like sports clubs in the pocket, but can do serious damage to brand image. CRAIN`S MANCHESTER BUSINESS 03/08/2009 United Kingdom

Man sold fake United badges A man has been sentenced to 100 hours community service for selling counterfeit Manchester United badges at football games. Joseph Lawson, 47, of Hurtsville Road, Chorlton, appeared at Trafford Magistrates Court charged with six counts of offering to supply goods which bore an infringing trade mark. TRAFFORD METRO NEWS 03/08/2009 United Kingdom PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Workplace targeted in blitz on illegal sale of tax-free tobacco A hard-hitting poster campaign has been launched in the East Midlands to warn people of the consequences of illegal tobacco sales. Produced by HM Revenue and Customs, the posters will be handed out to employers across the region this week. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 03/08/2009 United Kingdom

Police swoop on traders’ fake brands Counterfeit designer goods, including poor quality rip-offs of expensive handbags and watches, have been found on sale at Harrow Market. Officers from Brent and Harrow Trading Standards swooped on two stalls and confiscated items that would have been worth a total of £10,000 had they been genuine. HARROW LEADER 06/08/2009 United Kingdom

Engineer walks free after Sat Nav scam An electronics engineer who made £12,000 selling counterfeit Sat Nav software on eBay has walked free from court. Computer expert Kevin Ellis, who has PhD, used an array of sophisticated equipment to manufacture the fake goods from a caravan outside his home. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (ENGLISH EDITION) 06/08/2009 UK LIVERPOOL ECHO 06/08/2009 UK

Fake cigarette warning The dangers of smoking ‘dodgy’ cigarettes will be highlighted at a road show. North Staffordshire PCT will be staging the event at the Midsummer Mayhen fun day at Lyme Valley Park, Newcastle, on Sunday. As well as providing advice for those wishing to stop smoking, health experts will also show smokers the variety of unusual substances they may be inhaling if they buy dodgy cigarettes STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL SERIES 07/08/2009 United Kingdom

Landlady fined for selling fakes A former landlady is today several thousands pounds out of pocket after she admitted selling fake designer goods at an Ipswich pub. Kim O’Hagan was told to pay a £6,000 confiscation order and another £1,000 in fines after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to selling and possessing items likely to be mistaken for trademarks. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 07/08/2009 United Kingdom

Trades warning on fake hair products Shoppers are being warned against fake hair straighteners. Lancashire’s trading standards team says three people in the county have already fallen foul of a Chinese web-site claiming to sell top brand products at bargain prices. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 07/08/2009 United Kingdom

Market trader facing jail over fake toys A market trader faces jail after selling potentially lethal fake kids’ toys. Mark Newton, 35, admitted peddling counterfeit products which contained high amounts of dangerous and flammable chemicals. Countless unsuspecting shoppers may have bought the hazardous toys from stall 175 in Romford Market in the months leading to June last year. ROMFORD RECORDER 07/08/2009 United Kingdom

Rag traders stand up to rip-offs While junior staff were steaming and hanging clothes on the Super dry stand at a trade fair in Berlin last month, Julian Dunkerton, chief executive of the niche fashion brand, was preparing to repel pirates. SUNDAY TIMES, THE 09/08/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over straighteners Lancashire County Council Trading Standards Service is warning internet shoppers not to get stung by a website selling dangerous fake hair straighteners. Three people in Lancashire have already fallen foul of a Chinese website claiming to sell top brand of straighteners at bargain prices. CHORLEY CITIZEN 12/08/2009 United Kingdom

Shop is hit by £16,500 fines over fake goods A Luton shop has been fined for selling fake vodka, razor blades and lighters. Luton Borough Council’s Trading Standards officers seized more than 1,300 counterfeit items in December 2007, from the Sri Lankan Tamil Foods store on Dunstable Road. LUTON NEWS & DUNSTABLE GAZETTE 12/08/2009 United Kingdom

£60,000 bill for selling counterfeit goods A Crook caught selling counterfeit clothes and cigarettes has been hit with a 60,000 bill. Gareth Knowles Krager, of Tower Street, Hendon, pleaded guilty to 13 offences against the Trademarks Act in February after being caught by police. SUNDERLAND ECHO 12/08/2009 United Kingdom

Brand scam man in court A man accused of trading in goods similar to fashion brands has appeared in court. Steven Fitzgerald, 28, is alleged to have been caught dealing in goods purporting to be made by Ralph Lauren, Ugg and Juicy Couture SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 13/08/2009 United Kingdom

Man was charging £100 for fake sat nav systems An electronics engineer has escaped with a suspended jail sentence for making and selling counterfeit satellite navigation systems on eBay. Keving Ellis (47), from Norley Drive in Eccleston, was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. ST HELENS STAR 13/08/2009 UK, ST HELENS REPORTER 12/08/2009 UK

Illegal market sellers targeted Over 1,000 counterfeit goods were seized this weekend in a crackdown on market traders and car booters. Denbighshire’s Trading Standards team were part of the joint venture between North Wales’ six councils and police to target illegal sales. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (WELSH EDITION) 13/08/2009 United Kingdom

Fake goods are put to good use by group Counterfeit goods seized by Swindon Council have been donated to charity. Forty-five exhibit bags and eight boxes containing items worth £100,000 have been acquired by Trading Standards officers over the last two years. The items, which include footwear, clothing, bags and jewellery, were donated to HIS Church, a registered charity based in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on Friday. ESSEX CHRONICLE (BRAINTREE EDITION) 13/08/2009 United Kingdom eBay fraudsters nailed Two men involved in a £200,000 internet counterfeiting operation have been ordered to pay nearly £30,000 in confiscation orders and prosecution costs. James O’Donnell, 26, and Reza Fazeli, 25, appeared at Snaresbrook Court on Friday. ESSEX ENQUIRER 13/08/2009 UK, ROMFORD & HAVERING WEEKLY POST 21/08/2009 UK

Drugs and fake goods seized in raids A large quantity of drugs and counterfeit goods have been seized by police in raids across the town. Officers from Warrington central NPU discovered the first stash of suspected class B drugs and fake goods after executing a warrant on a container at a self-storage site in Chorley Street last Wednesday. WARRINGTON GUARDIAN 13/08/2009 United Kingdom

Fine for trader on fake razors Fake razors were discovered during a raid on a Black Country market stall, a court was told. Customer Paul Breakwell complained to trading standards after paying 10 for four packets of Gilette-branded razors from West Bromwich market. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 14/08/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over phone chargers that can kill Dangerous mobile phone chargers are for sale on the Fylde coast. The chargers can cause fires or electrocute whoever is using them and have been labelled as potentially fatal. They have been on sale in market stalls and shops across Lancashire - and nine have been bought in St Anne’s. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 15/08/2009 United Kingdom

Shop owner is fined for sale of dangerous vodka An off-licence owner who sold dangerous counterfeit vodka has been hit with a £1,000 fine. Abdur Rashid, who runs Valley Food Stores in Mountain Ash, was found to be selling counterfeit Spar own- brand vodka which contained dangerous levels of methanol. SOUTH WALES ECHO 17/08/2009 United Kingdom

Cigs seized in customs shop raid More than 10,000 cigarettes and 1.5kg of tobacco were seized during a raid on a shop. Trading Standards officers form Wirral council targeted the business in Birkenhead in a joint raid with HM Revenue and Customs. LIVERPOOL ECHO 17/08/2009 United Kingdom

Man sentenced over tobacco haul A Glasgow man was caught with 190,000 counterfeit duty-free cigarettes and 57 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco in a bag outside his home. James McLean, 54, of Acredyke Crescent, Glasgow, was sentenced to 200 hours community service at Glasgow Sherriff Court after admitting trading illegally and evading paying taxes. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 17/08/2009 United Kingdom

How to spot a fake item when you shop Spree doesn’t think it’s unreasonable to say that most people like to have something in their wardrobe that’s designer and that people can compliment them on. And with the Internet it’s a lot easier to get our hands on designer items, but a recent report has found that fake items such as Christian Louboutin shoes from China and flooding the virtual World. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 17/08/2009 United Kingdom

Why intellectual property is increasingly crucial The new series of Dragon’s Den has highlighted the importance of protecting intellectual property rights. Often one of the first questions asked by the Dragons is what steps an entrepreneur has taken to protect a new idea or brand. If you purchase what you believe to be luxury item such as a Louis Vuitton handbag and the quality is inferior and not as expected, as you have, in fact, unknown to you, bought a counterfeit copy, then the reputation of that Louis Vuitton brand can be affected. BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 18/08/2009 United Kingdom

Banksy 3 face trial Three fraud suspects yesterday denied making around £100,000 selling 100 bogus prints of work by graffiti artist Banksy on eBay. They also flogged copies of clothes by fashion guru Vivienne Westwood and punk guru Malcolm McLaren on the internet auction site for a similar amount, it was claimed. SUN, THE 19/08/2009 United Kingdom

17,000 cigs seized in double raid Thousands more dodgy cigarettes have been taken off the streets of Huddersfield following raids on a shop and a house. About 4,000 allegedly counterfeit and non-duty paid cigarettes were seized in a swoop at HD International Food at John William Street HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 19/08/2009 United Kingdom

Fake clothing to help out charities Somerset County Council will hand over £200,000 worth of seized counterfeit goods to worldwide charities as a result of a successful year of Trading Standards operations. The counterfeit goods were seized during the past 12 months by Somerset County Council in operations that took place throughout the county. CENTRAL SOMERSET GAZETTE 20/08/2009 UK, SOMERSET COUNTY GAZETTE SERIES 20/08/2009 UK, WELLINGTON WEEKLY NEWS 20/08/2009 UK, MJ, THE 20/08/2009 United Kingdom

Council news More than a thousand counterfeit and unsafe goods were seized during a week long crackdown on Anglesey. Items were confiscated from car boot sales in Valley, Mona and Benllech, as well as council-run markets, including sunglasses, handbags, watched, jewellery, music CDs and DVDs. NORTH WALES CHRONICLE 20/08/2009 United Kingdom

Fakes fall foul of real brand A gang who ran a huge fake clothing scam on eBay were caught when the ringleader sold a jacket to a man who worked for the real brand. Anthony Kaufmaln, who was the ring-leader of the racket, sold the Stone Island jacket on eBay in early 2006. SALFORD ADVERTISER (INC. SALFORD CITY REPORTER) 20/08/2009 United Kingdom

Officers swoop on fake IT equipment Trading Standards officers have swooped on a garage in Watford, seizing fake computer software. The IT equipment was being used by the business to diagnose faults and repair vehicles and officers say the bogus software could have been a danger to the public. WATFORD FREE OBSERVER 20/08/2009 United Kingdom

City swoop on illegal factory for cigarettes An illegal tobacco factory has been discovered hidden at an industrial unit in Willenhall. Machinery and 600 kilos of tobacco was found during a raid by Customs teams. There was enough tobacco to make an average of 1.2 million rolled cigarettes which officials said were destined to be peddled in pubs, workplaces, car boot sales and at street corners. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 21/08/2009 UK, EXPRESS & STAR DUDLEY (WEST MIDLANDS) 21/08/2009 UK, WIRRAL GLOBE (SERIES) 26/08/2009 UK

Customs seize fake fag haul More than 85,000 illegal cigarettes were seized by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) officers in an operation in the Knowsley area. The illegal cigarettes, along with around 7,000 in cash, were found during a search of four premises in Huyton. LIVERPOOL ECHO 22/08/2009 United Kingdom

Tourists warned on fakes Tourists could be fined thousands of pounds for buying fake designer gear when they go abroad. France and Italy are stepping up a campaign against counterfeiters as well as their customers. SCOTTISH SUNDAY MAIL 23/08/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over fake designer gear Midland holidaymakers could be fined thousands of pounds for buying fake designer gear when they go abroad, lawyers warned today. Authorities in countries like France and Italy are stepping up a campaign against those who peddle counterfeit goods as well as those who buy them. BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY MERCURY 23/08/2009 United Kingdom

Rogue traders told to avoid steam festival Rogue traders selling counterfeit designer goods are being warned to stay away from this year’s Great Dorset Steam Fair near Blandford. Louis Vuitton handbags, Jimmy Choo sunglasses, and New Era baseball caps were among the items seized by trading standards officers at last year’s events. BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 26/08/2009 United Kingdom

600 kilos of illegal tobacco in police `factory` raids An illegal tobacco manufacturing unit was uncovered in Walsall last week with 600 kilos of tobacco seized. HM Revenue & Customs officers raided two addresses in Willenhall last Monday, one residential and one industrial and seized counterfeit Golden Virginia wrappers, semi-processed and processed tobacco, counterfeit European tax stamps, scales and the finished product. WALSALL ADVERTISER 27/08/2009 United Kingdom

Cops in crackdown on market tricksters Conmen have cheated unlucky punters by selling them ‘laptops’ - then swapping the bags for others full of potatoes and onions at the last minute. The scam was uncovered around the White Hart Lane Market in Tottenham during two large-scale enforcement officers and the police in recent weeks. TOTTENHAM & WOOD GREEN JOURNAL 27/08/2009 United Kingdom

Fake items are seized at market More fakes have been found at Moreton-in-Marsh market. Police have seized goods including mugs and money boxes branded with popular cartoon characters, such as Postman Pat, the Simpsons and Dora the Explorer. GLOUCESTERSHIRE ECHO (SERIES) 28/08/2009 United Kingdom

Officers vow to keep fake goods off city’s street Traders have been warned any attempt to sell counterfeit goods in Swansea will not be tolerated. The warning from the local authority comes after a businessman was fined thousands of pounds at Swansea Crown Court for attempting to sell fake merchandise in the city centre. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 29/08/2009 United Kingdom

Pair tried to smuggle fake fags in through the back door A company director has been jailed after attempting to smuggle 1.2 million counterfeit cigarettes into the UK. Ihtesham Ali Hassan, 30, of Cefn Coed Roadm was given an 18-month prison sentence after being found guilty of knowingly evading duty on a huge consignment of fake cigarettes illegally imported through Southampton Container Port. SOUTH WALES ECHO 29/08/2009 United Kingdom

Jail for cigs smuggler A scots newsagent who tried to smuggle 1.2 million fake cigarettes into Britain hidden in doors has been jailed. Amjif Arfane Saqqid, 31, from Cambuslang, was caught after the massive haul was discovered in a 20ft cargo container. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 29/08/2009 United Kingdom

Revealed: £2bn cost to UK from cigarette smuggling A small town on the Ukranian-Polish border is the epicentre of a fast-growing contraband industry, which is leeching money from taxpayers, industry and the Government. SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, THE 30/08/2009 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: July 2009

Fake brands sale accused A Wolverhampton man accused of selling fake brand name clothes from two city centre shops has appeared in court. Anup Patel, aged 43, of Lyndhurst Road, faces 21 separate charges of possessing goods with a false trade mark. He pleaded not guilty at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court yesterday. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 01/07/2009 United Kingdom

No headline Manchester: Counterfeit t-shirts for rock bands including Oasis, Kasabian and The Enemy, seized outside shows in Heaton Park, are to be sent to some of the world’s poorest people. More than 1,300 fake shirts were seized by trading standards officers during the concerts in early June. LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 01/07/2009 UK WIGAN EVENING POST 01/07/2009 UK

Why are we here? L’Oreal, the French cosmetics group has been told by the UK high court that eBay is not legally accountable for the sale of counterfeit L’Oreal cosmetics on its UK Website. Judges in Belgium and France had previously ruled that the online auction group is not ultimately responsible for policing counterfeit sales. B THERE! 01/07/2009 United Kingdom

Faking it Word on the street says there are some dodgy deals going on. Hairdressers are being confronted with all sorts of fake ‘professional’ tools of the trade, from electrical equipment to scissors. But resist such offers and remember: the road to ruin is littered with temptation... SALON BUSINESS 01/07/2009 United Kingdom

F for Fake Time was when counterfeit personal care products were commonly crude fake perfumes pedalled in markets and workplaces during Christmas and other festive periods to bargain hunter who knew they were buying rubbish. Not any more. SOAP PERFUMERY & COSMETICS [SPC] 01/07/2009 United Kingdom

Jail for boss after police stub out fags import plan A company director from Kenton has been jailed for five years after masterminding a plot to smuggle nearly 12 million cigarettes into the country. Valji Varsani, the brains behind the ploy, organised for three shipments of 3.8 million counterfeit fags to be delivered to his industrial unit in Wembley in containers said to be packed with plastic DVD cases. HARROW OBSERVER 02/07/2009 United Kingdom

Trader on the run A market trader found with more than 100 counterfeit goods at a Harrow market has gone on the run, dodging a prison sentence. Police are hunting Hittesh Sood, of Harrow Weald, who failed to turn up at Harrow Crown Court and is now thought to be in hiding. Sood, 43, was sentenced to three months in prison on June 15 after he was caught selling fake sportswear after an undercover test purchase by Brent and Harrow Trading Standards in September. HARROW TIMES 02/07/2009 UK, HARROW OBSERVER 02/07/2009 UK, WEMBLEY OBSERVER 02/07/2009 UK

Fag ends Smuggling counterfeit cigarettes can have huge consequences, so it was good to see a long sentence for the mastermind behind the latest important ploy. Not only do cheap, fake cigarettes undermine the efforts of suppliers and shops who try to sell products legally, it puts buyers at risk. HARROW OBSERVER 02/07/2009 United Kingdom

Don’t buy fake swine flu drugs The government’s Chief Medical Officer today warned the public to avoid panic-buying ‘counterfeit’ anti-swine flu drugs online. This comes after it was revealed the number of new cases could soon reach 100,000 per day. ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 03/07/2009 UK GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 03/07/2009 UK, EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 03/07/2009 UK

Internet fake tamiflu danger warning Health experts are urging Fylde coast residents not to buy an anti-viral drug online in the swine flu panic. Internet sales often involve fake drugs and the Royal Pharmaceutical society says products bought in this way could include little more than sugar or even dangerous substances, such as rat poison. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 04/07/2009 United Kingdom

Stub out dodgy cigarettes Smokers are to be shown that they are getting more than a bargain when they buy dodgy tobacco products. As well as providing advice for those wishing to stop smoking it will also show people the variety of unusual substances they may be inhaling if they buy dodgy cigarettes. HEARTLAND EVENING NEWS 06/07/2009 United Kingdom

It’s war against fakes A new national charter has been launched in the ongoing battle against fakes in the UK. Real Deal: Working Together For Fake-Free Markets aims to kick counterfeits out of markets and car boot sales. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 06/07/2009 United Kingdom

Nokia in claim over counterfeit goods Customs are allowing counterfeit goods to pass through Britain if they have no connection with the EU, a High Court judge was told yesterday. Nokia is asking the court in London to quash a decision by Customs to release 423 fake Nokia mobile handsets seized at Heathrow. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 07/07/2009 United Kingdom

Designer fakes up for sale on eBay A gang was involved in a conspiracy to sell tens of thousands of pounds of fake designer clothes on eBay, a court heard. They bore fake logos of top fashion houses including Armani, Hugo Boss, Fred Perry and Prada. Manchester Crown Court heard how the lucrative conspiracy operated through a string of eBay and Pay Pal accounts owned by a sales team recruited by Kaufman. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 08/07/2009 United Kingdom

Jail for cigarette smuggling gang which targeted resort. A racketeering gang of illegal immigrants who targeted Felixstowe in a multi-million pound smuggling plot are behind bars today. Undercover customs officers foiled their cigarette and tobacco operation, which evaded £2.6million in tax. Over the course of 14 months they illegally imported more than 15million counterfeit cigarettes and nearly 2.5 tonnes of hand rolling tobacco from China. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 08/07/2009 United Kingdom

Raids reveal toxic cigarette problem Around 1,600 fake cigarettes were seized during a blitz on sellers of illegal imports. Officials targeted 35 pubs and shops in Bentilee and Townsend is Stoke-on-Trent. More than 3.4kg of rolling tobacco was also seized in a joint operation by officers from HM Revenue and Customs, NHS Stoke-on-Trent and Stoke-on-Trent City Councils Trading Standards and Environmental Health teams. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL SERIES 08/07/2009 United Kingdom

Crown court for a Viagra seller An Aylesbury man accused of selling a counterfeit Viagra-type drug on the internet will be tried before a crown court later this year. Harish Gami, 40, faces 12 charges including selling goods bearing a false Cialis trademark and importing Cialis from Pakistan not in accordance to the manufacturer’s license. BUCKS HERALD 08/07/2009 United Kingdom

Beware fake swine flu medication Fake swine flu drugs have started appearing on the Internet and they pose severe health risks if consumed, a Trading Standards boss is warning. WARRINGTON GUARDIAN 09/07/2009 United Kingdom

Suspended sentence for teacher who made £40,000. - By selling fake football shirts. A teacher who duped about 200 people into buying counterfeit football shirts on eBay made nearly £40,000 from his criminal enterprise. Paul Edward Davies advertised shirts on the internet auction site and claimed they were the real thing. But they were all counterfeit and had been imported by him from Thailand. In March the 34-year-old admitted four fraud charges, six trademark offences and one count of obtaining money by deception. CHESTER EVENING LEADER 10/07/2009 United Kingdom

Guard must repay 50k A security guard who was caught with a cache of counterfeit goods and prescription drugs during a raid at his home has been ordered to repay £50,000 of his ill-gotten gains. When police swooped on Andrew Wisemans flat in Christchurch Road, Bournemouth on January 17, 2006 they seized £14,000 in cash, a large quantity of cigarettes, 772 gms of cannabis and 570 Diazapan sachets. BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 11/07/2009 United Kingdom

Fighting the Fakes Counterfeit components are a continuing headache for the electronics industry. The UK Electronics Alliance intends to launch a website to let engineers share information on fake components in an attempt to stem the flow of damaging counterfeits from the Far East. In 2008, the UKEA estimated the cost of electronic counterfeiting in the UK alone came to 1bn per year. ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY 11/07/2009 United Kingdom

Beware of dodgy smokes Smokers were given information and advice on what they are getting when they purchase dodgy cigarettes. The event was the latest part of a hard-hitting poster and radio campaign from the Department of Health and HM Revenue & Customs highlighting some of the unpleasant ingredients that can be in illicit tobacco products. HEARTLAND EVENING NEWS 13/07/2009 United Kingdom

Fake Goods A man has appeared in court charged with trying to sell hundreds of fake goods. Mark Clay was caught with the items bearing false trademarks in Bulwell Market by city council trading standards officers, Nottingham magistrates heard. NOTTINGHAM RECORDER 16/07/2009 United Kingdom

Customs officers unveil cigarette haul Customs officers have unveiled a haul of more than a million cigarettes from an Ellistown industrial estate. Officers found the packets of Marlboro - which could be fake - on Tuesday following a tip-off. The haul is thought to have a street value of £150,000. COALVILLE TIMES 17/07/2009 United Kingdom

Customs officers seize 170,000 fake cigarettes A haul of 170,000 black market cigarettes was found stashed under the floorboards of a house in Walsall during a raid by customs officers. The cigarettes had been hidden under the floorboards in the bedrooms and the main landing area of the detached house in Caldmore Green and were found during the raid this week. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 17/07/2009 United Kingdom

Probe starts as cut-price counterfeiters move down value chain The real targets for the investigation are the importers who supply small-scale sellers with fake goods. Once it was luxury brands such as L’Oreal, Gucci and Jimmy Choo that had most to fear from counterfeiting. JML, the consumer goods distributor, is the latest brand owner to employ private investigators after it discovered evidence that cheap imitation versions of its hit gadget, the PedEgg, were being sold online and at car boot sales. FINANCIAL TIMES (UK & IRELAND EDITION) 18/07/2009 United Kingdom

100-hour work order for trader who sold counterfeit clothing. A trader was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid community work after being caught selling counterfeit clothing at Penrith’s open air market. Mohammed Pervez Akthar (44) was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court on Friday after being found guilty of 15 charges of selling or possessing clothes with false trademarks. CUMBERLAND & WESTMORELAND HERALD 18/07/2009 United Kingdom

Fake cigarettes: Police arrest four Four men have been arrested after police officers seized a haul of fake cigarettes at a Bolton market. More than £8,000 worth of cigarettes and rolling tobacco was confiscated in Great Lever yesterday. A total of 23,000 cigarettes, 12 kilos of rolling tobacco and a vehicle were taken away. BOLTON EVENING NEWS 20/07/2009 United Kingdom

Fine over fake toy haul Fake Spiderman, Superman and Winnie the Pooh toys were seized from a Blackpool shop before Christmas, a court was told. Vincent Baxter, 54, owner of the Bargain Gift Superstore on the Promenade, admitted three offences of selling counterfeit goods. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 20/07/2009 United Kingdom

£3m of fake designer gear seized in swoop on factory Fake goods worth about £3m were seized in one of the biggest-ever counterfeit raids in Manchester. Customs and trading standards officers swooped on a Piccadilly warehouse after a tip-off - and found thousands of boxes of bogus gear. The haul included a vast array of fake designer clothes and sportswear. There were also hair straighteners, perfumes, sunglasses, fireworks and razor blades. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 22/07/2009 UK

Boss sacked and fined for fake vodka A shop boss ended up in court after buying crates of counterfeit vodka he then sold to customers who believed it was a top brand. The deal was a costly one for Noveed Naz, 24, who was sacked as manager of the store he ran. Now he must also pay out £515 after a prosecution by Manchester council in a crackdown on rouge retailers. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 22/07/2009 UK, NORTH EAST MANCHESTER ADVERTISER 30/07/2009 UK

One you can’t beat if you counterfeit Dodgy traders in Luton are being warned against selling fake goods in town after a Trading Standards worker was named the country’s top anti-counterfeiting officer. A judging panel including fellow Trading Standards professionals, trademark owners and Patent Office representatives have awarded Luton Trading Standards officer Clare Pope a prize for outstanding achievement and dedication, following a three-year study aimed at cracking down on counterfeiting. LUTON NEWS & DUNSTABLE GAZETTE 22/07/2009 United Kingdom

Goods are fake... but crime is real If people needed any more convincing that counterfeiting is not harmless, small-scale entrepreneurism, they should read our report today about a raid by customs and trading standards officers on a warehouse in Piccadilly, Manchester. Here in the heart of the city, £3m worth of fake goods were piled up - bogus designer clothes, handbags, trainers, hair straighteners, even fake Ugg boots. Those goods were probably destined for distribution to market stalls and discount shops across the country. In raids across Britain, vendors so often point to Manchester as the source of their supplies. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 22/07/2009 United Kingdom

Crime Reporter Counterfeit phone accessories and computer games with an estimated value of £30,000 have been seized by police and Trading Standards officers in Leeds. The seized property included, counterfeit mobile phone equipment and accessories including headphones and covers, and stickers featuring the logos of larger manufacturing companies to be applied to them to make them appear legitimate. Also seized were a large number of R4 chips, which allow people to download video games from the internet without charge or small fee, for use on games consoles. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 22/07/2009 United Kingdom

Shop owners fined £6,500 on fake vodka The shop owners prosecuted after counterfeit vodka was sold in the Black Country have been landed with a court bill of more than £7,000. Fake bottles of Glen’s Vodka were found at a food store in Quarry Bank, Dudley. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 22/07/2009 United Kingdom

Rogue trader sold counterfeit goods A pair of rogue traders who attempted to sell 705 fake designer accessories at the Great Dorset Steam Fair has been sentenced by a judge. Harider Singh, 44, and Rajpal Tal Singh, 23, set up a stall at last Augusts’ Tarrant Hinton fair containing around £7,700 worth of stolen goods, Dorset trading standards officers say. DORSET ECHO 22/07/2009 United Kingdom

Trader facing charges over fake goods An undercover operation by Swansea trading standards officers has landed an Essex trader in court facing charges relating to the production of counterfeit clothing. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 22/07/2009 United Kingdom

Cigarette haul at OAP house A pensioner was busted with hundreds of illegal cigarettes at her home during a crackdown on counterfeit tobacco in Barnsley. SHEFFIELD STAR (SERIES) 22/07/2009 United Kingdom

Trader sold fake designer clothing A market stall trader who sold fake designer clothes when profits fell has been jailed. Aslan Nyrem, 37, was caught selling fake Playboy, Rabbit and Beck items after a trading standards sting at his five stalls in Wrexhams Peoples Market. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (WELSH EDITION) 23/07/2009 United Kingdom

Market trader sentenced for selling fake clothing A stallholder who operated at Blackbushe Sunday market, near Yateley, has been convicted of selling counterfeit clothing. Aldershot Magistrates’ Court heard on July 15 that Ajmal Mamhood Bagurai, 27, of Eileen Road, Birmingham was found with nearly 500 items of counterfeit clothing with names such as Drunknmunky, Timberland and Henri-Lloyd. SURREY/HANTS STAR (CAMBERLEY, FARNBOROUGH, ALDERSHOT & FLEET) 23/07/2009 U K ALDERSHOT NEWS & MAIL 24/07/2009 UK

Swansea City FC fakes fooled buyers Swansea City FC merchandise seized from an Essex trader may have fooled members of the public who thought they were buying officially authorised goods, according to a club representative. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 23/07/2009 United Kingdom

Traders sentenced for fake goods A trader has been ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work after 650 counterfeit luxury brand items were seized from his stall at the Great Dorset Steam Fair. There had been a hidden section at Harinder Singh’s stall last summer, within which hundreds of illegal copies of designer handbags had been found. WESTERN GAZETTE (SERIES) 23/07/2009 United Kingdom

Highly toxic booze sold The owner of an off-licence in Esher High Street that sold highly toxic counterfeit vodka has been fined £1,690 at Staines Magistrates Court. SURREY COMET 24/07/2009 United Kingdom

Man admits selling counterfeit goods bought at market... A man has appeared in court after admitting to selling counterfeit goods he bought at Wellesbourne market. David Adam Yardley had been operating a business from his home selling fake designer shoes and clothes over the internet from 2007 until early last year. LEAMINGTON SPA COURIER 24/07/2009 United Kingdom

Fake cigarettes seized in raids on businesses A bumper haul of fake cigarettes has been seized after a series of swoops on six Peterborough business, the bogus goods - which some shop managers admitted they had bought from the back of a van - were seized by officers from Peterborough City Councils Trading standards team. PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH 25/07/2009 United Kingdom

Trader to face trial over counterfeit clothing A trader is facing a trial relating to the production of counterfeit clothing, Andrew Splain, 45 from Southend, appeared at Swansea crown court to answer charges he was involved in the production of replica football shirts without permission. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 28/07/2009 United Kingdom

Smuggling charge A group of six men accused of illegally importing 25,000kgs of counterfeit soap powder into Cheshire are due to appear at Northwich Magistrates Court next week MID CHESHIRE CHRONICLE 29/07/2009 United Kingdom

Trader sold fake blades A trader with a stall in West Bromwich has pleaded guilty to selling falsely branded razor blades. Michael Tarplee, aged 28, of Ashton Road, Yardley, Birmingham, admitted 15 charges regarding the supply of counterfeit Gilette blades to a trading standards officer. EXPRESS & STAR DUDLEY (WEST MIDLANDS) 29/07/2009 United Kingdom

Police swoop on fakes Counterfeit designer goods, including rip-offs of expensive handbags and watches, have been found on sale at Harrow Market. Officers from Brent and Harrow Trading Standards swooped on two stalls and confiscated items that would have been worth a total of £10,000 had they been genuine HARROW LEADER 30/07/2009 United Kingdom

Boss in court over counterfeit vodka A shop boss ended up in court after buying crates of counterfeit vodka he then sold to customers who believed it was a top brand. The deal was a costly one for Noveed Naz, 24, who was sacked as manager of the store he ran. NORTH EAST MANCHESTER ADVERTISER 30/07/2009 United Kingdom

Fair stallhorlders had hundreds of fakes Two more market traders caught selling counterfeit goods at the great Dorset steam fair last year have been sentenced at Dorchester Crown Court. The case brought by Dorset Trading Standards followed the seizure of 650 counterfeit items from a market stall that had a hidden section containing hundreds of illegal copies of designer handbags. WESTERN GAZETTE (SERIES) 30/07/2009 United Kingdom

Fake handbags seized Fake goods being sold at knock-down prices have been seized from traders in Harrow town centre. Watches and counterfeit Gucci handbags were among the items found on sale in the streets in Harrow during raids carried out last week. HARROW TIMES 30/07/2009 United Kingdom

Rip off bid helps Sudan Counterfeit Gripples donated to community. A failed bid to rip off a pioneering Sheffield invention is benefiting impoverished farmers in one of the most remote and inaccessible parts of Sudan. It all began when Gripple founder Hugh Facey discovered copies were being made in China of a special version of the innovative wire joining and tensioning device. HARROW TIMES 30/07/2009 United Kingdom

Aiming to stamp out the illegal cig sellers A crackdown on criminals targeting youngsters with illegal cigarettes has been launched in Wigan. The aim is to clear the streets of cigarette crime and slash the toll of smoking-related deaths. WIGAN REPORTER 30/07/2009 United Kingdom

Fake Wolves shirts inquiry Wolves were today investigating claims that fake replica club tops are being sold over the internet. The club conformed today it was looking closely at the 2009/10 home shirts which are selling for almost £30 and are thought to be coming from Thailand. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 31/07/2009 UK

Trading award A Surrey trading standards officer has won an award after seizing fake goods worth more than £100,000 last year. Paul Manwaring landed the honour from the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) after confiscating thousands of counterfeit items, including fake DVDs, toys and designer goods. SURREY ADVERTISER SERIES 31/07/2009 United Kingdom

Grass on illegal dealers, urges NHS Health bosses have launched a new initiative to tackle illicit tobacco on the streets of Cumbria. Last year around 60 million cigarettes and 15 tonnes of illegal tobacco were seized across the North West. Now, in a bid to cut the number of children taking up smoking, NHS Cumbria wants members of the public to telephone a special hotline to go online to report illegal dealers. WESTMORLAND GAZETTE 31/07/2009 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: June 2009

It’s poetic justice for cig cheat A man jailed for selling fake cigarettes received a poem from cops poking fun at him. Police seized £255,000 of assets from Joby Sanders, 37, under a Proceeds of Crime order and taunted him in verse. Detective Inspector Graham Wragg wrote the crook a note, pointing out he was serving more than three years in prison. Sanders had earlier sent cops a poem from his cell, telling them how the smuggled the fake cigs from Poland. SUN, THE 01/06/09 United Kingdom

Brands to take on Net cheats On-line marketplace eBay urged major retail brands today to co-operate in fighting fake goods on the Internet rather than going to court. The call came after eBay won a French court case brought by cosmetics giant L’Oreal which claimed not enough was being done to crack down on counterfeit goods sold on eBay. EXPRESS & STAR CANNOCK (MID STAFFS) 01/06/09 United Kingdom

Web fakes ruling keeps claims at bay If counterfeit goods have been sold via an online auction house, who should take responsibility for cracking down on the counterfeiters - the manufacturer whose goods have been cloned or the online auction house that provides the sales outlet? It is a debate that has dogged eBay for some time. LAWYER 01/06/09 United Kingdom

Warning over fake alcohol Stockport Council is warning shopkeepers and residents to be on the look-out for counterfeit vodka after some bottles were seized in the borough. Trading Standards officers were alerted to the vodka by a member of the public who had purchased a 70cl bottle of red Smirnoff Vodka from a Heaton Norris newsagent. On pouring a glass from the bottle, the complainant’s wife found the liquid did not taste or smell right and she could not drink it. STOCKPORT EXPRESS 02/06/09 United Kingdom

French court turns tide in favour of eBay over fakes The tide has clearly turned in favour of eBay in the legal war over the sale of counterfeit goods on their site after a French court backed them against L’Oreal. There have been numerous cases across the globe, notably in the United States and Europe, with mixed results. However, until now, eBay have largely been victorious throughout the process except in France. ANTIQUES TRADE GAZETTE 02/06/09 United Kingdom

Auction site ‘not liable’ for breaches of copyright Online marketplace eBay has claimed victory in a High Court test case brought by cosmetics giant L’Oreal. A judge in London ruled that eBay was not jointly liable for trademark infringements committed by its users. Mr Justice Arnold announced his decision in the latest of a number of cases brought by L’Oreal in courts around Europe. HERALD, THE (GLASGOW) 02/06/09 United Kingdom

£7,000 bill for firm with fake ‘danger’ lighters A firm has been fined more than £6,000 with nearly £900 costs after counterfeit batteries and potentially dangerous cigarette lighters were found on its premises. Magistrates were told investigators found hundreds of bogus Duracell batteries at Manchester Direct Trading, on Rugby Street, Strangeways. On a later visit, a council official found 97 packs of fake Clipper lighters - 400 in total. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 02/06/09 United Kingdom

Trader denies selling fake designer bags A market trader has denied selling fake designer handbags claiming police mixed up what was on his stall with personal items seized from his home, a court heard. Officers and trading standards representatives launched ‘Operation Luggage’ to target Owen Wright, aged 48, of Bradwell Street, Heeley, Sheffield, after a tip-off SHEFFIELD STAR (SERIES) 02/06/09 United Kingdom

Restaurant owner sold fake spirits A cross keys restaurant owner was fined more than £1,000 for passing off cheap spirits as premium brands. Abdul Shaim, owner of Balti Nite on Gladstone Street, pleaded guilty to four charges before magistrates in Abertillery on May 28. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 03/06/09 United Kingdom

Trader’s counterfeit goods trial A market trader accused of selling counterfeit designer clothes at Penrith’s open air market told a court yesterday he did everything he could to make sure they weren’t fake. ‘My job is to purchase items at the best price to pass on to the public’ he said. `When I buy something I look at the quality and the price. The label doesn’t matter’ CARLISLE NEWS & STAR (SERIES) 03/06/2009 UK

‘Smuggled’ cigs sold to girl, 16 A haul of illegal Russian cigarettes were seized during a sting to stop traders selling cigarettes to children in Liverpool. Enforcement officers visited a range of premises across the city where shops sold the fags to two girl volunteers, aged 16 and 14. In a premises in Lodge Lane, Toxteth, a member of staff sold smuggled Russian cigarettes, which were being kept secretly under the counter, to the teenager. LIVERPOOL ECHO 04/06/09 United Kingdom

Trader hits back in fake goods case A market trader trying to reclaim £18,000 seized by police after he was suspected of selling fake designer bags branded a detective involved in the case ‘malicious and vindictive’. Owen Wright, aged 48 of Bradwell Street, Heeley, Sheffield, is contesting a forfeiture hearing brought by South Yorkshire Police, who want to retain the cash despite never charging Mr Owen with any offences. SHEFFIELD STAR (SERIES) 04/06/09 United Kingdom

Market trader’s victory over police cash seizure Police have been ordered to pay back £18,000 seized from a South Yorkshire market trader suspected of selling fake designer bags on his stall. Officers seized the cash and a number of bags after raiding Owen Wright`s home on Bradwell Street, Heeley, Sheffield, with Trading Standards Officers. He was never prosecuted but police retained the cash because they believed he had made it by trading illegally on Barnsley Market. DONCASTER ADVERTISER (SERIES) 05/06/09 United Kingdom eBay win against L’Oreal in the High Court too eBay have now added a London High Court victory against a claim from luxury brand L’Oreal to the one they gained in France on May 13. As reported last week, this expected to all but end court action against the online giant over trademark infringements that take place on their site. ANTIQUES TRADE GAZETTE 06/06/09 United Kingdom

Shop owner sold counterfeit clothing A clothes shop owner has been fined more than £4,000 for selling counterfeit goods. Amir Sadr, 47, admitted nine counts of selling clothes which were not the designer labels they were claimed to be. Sadr, who owns Back 2 Back Clothing Ltd, was selling the clothes at his shop in St Benedict’s Street and a unit on the third floor of the Castle Mall, with some of the garments up for sale for more than £100. NORWICH EVENING NEWS 06/06/09 United Kingdom

Penrith trader convicted over counterfeit goods A Penrith market trader has been convicted of trading in counterfeit goods, following a trial at Carlisle Crown Court. Mohammed Pervez Akthar (44), Braeview, Stenhousemuir, Scotland, went on trial on five charges of selling and 10 matters of possessing falsely trademarked items at the auction mart- based Saturday market, when he appeared at court on Monday. CUMBERLAND & WESTMORELAND HERALD 06/06/09 United Kingdom

Customs swoop on fake trainers An organised crime gang’s plot to flood markets with thousands of fake Nike trainers has been foiled at Felixtowe docks. Today two containers holding more than 7,200 pairs of women’s training shoes were due to be reopened at the port for a comprehensive inspection. The counterfeit goods arrived from Athens, but were intercepted by customs officers when they arrived in Suffolk. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 09/06/09 UK; EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 12/06/09 UK

Warning over fake baccy People are being warned about phoney hand-rolling tobacco after counterfeit stashes were seized from sellers targeting people in pubs and betting shops. The tobacco does not meet standards set down by the UK Government for permitted levels of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide and could be dangerous, according to Lewisham council. The pouches of the fake tobacco are labelled with German health warnings but is believed to be imported from Asia. SOUTH LONDON PRESS (TUESDAY) 09/06/09 United Kingdom

£6m sex pill scam A man was jailed for two years yesterday for running a £6.1 million fake Viagra scam. Martin Hickman sold sex pills on the net with a 1,000 per cent mark-up. He splashed out on luxury villas, flash cars and a number plate reading L13RGE, London’s Southwark Crown Court heard. SUN, THE 09/06/2009 UK; METRO LONDON (INC, BRIGHTON) 09/06/2009 UK

Warning on counterfeit goods Uttoxeter consumers and traders are being reminded of dangers of buying and selling counterfeit goods. Staffordshire County Council Trading Standards sent out the reminder for World Anti Counterfeiting Day tomorrow. UTTOXETER ADVERTISER 10/06/09 United Kingdom

Steer clear of fakes, say watchdogs A new crackdown on counterfeit goods was launched today. And the message from West Yorkshire’s Chief Trading Standards Officer, Graham Hebblethwaite to consumers in the run up to World Anti- Counterfeiting Day tomorrow was: Don’t buy the fakes. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 10/06/09 United Kingdom eBay user avoids jail for selling fake Nikes A swindler who profited by thousands of pounds selling fake Nike Air Max trainers on eBay has narrowly escaped a jail term. Daniel Davison, 31, of Browning Avenue, Worcester Park, admitted importing the 200 fake trainers from China and then selling them to unsuspecting customers on the internet auction site between February and May 2008. EPSOM GUARDIAN 11/06/09 UK; EPSOM GUARDIAN 11/06/09 UK; SUTTON GUARDIAN 11/06/2009 UK PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Arrests made after £50k of counterfeit goods seized Three market traders were arrested after police seized nearly 50,000 of counterfeit clothes, DVDs and computer games at a Sunday morning market in Battersea. Police, trading standards officers and representatives from the film, clothing and music industry discovered the haul during a joint operation to crack on pirate goods. WANDSWORTH GUARDIAN SERIES 11/06/09 United Kingdom SURREY COMET 12/06/2009 UK

A crushing fate for the fakes that cost us all millions The heavy roller was sent in to flatten the fakes that cost the region millions. Illegal electrical equipment, unsafe toys and dud pens and watches were destroyed to mark World Anti-Counterfeiting Day. West Yorkshire Trading Standards recovered £3m worth of dodgy goods last year. Figures from the Intellectual Property Office suggest that the total cost to West Yorkshire could be as much as £300m. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 11/06/09 United Kingdom

Fakes flattened! Watchdog officers seize gear to highlight illegal trade menace. Fake goods were crushed by a road roller in a campaign to combat counterfeiting. West Yorkshire Trading Standards (WYTS) used a heavy vehicle to squash knock-off gear they had seized including designer watches, pens, electrical equipment and unsafe toys. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 11/06/09 United Kingdom

‘Don’t buy fakes’ plea Around £1.6m worth of counterfeit goods were seized in the region last year, latest figures have revealed. And as part of World Anti-Counterfeiting Day (today), Trading Standards is warning local consumers and traders of the dangers of buying, and selling, counterfeit goods. About 10,000 cigarettes, 670 pairs of trainers, and over 163,400 discs were seized in Staffordshire last year, with the problem continuing on a global scale. STAFFORD POST 11/06/09 United Kingdom

Faking it Trading Standards have crushed fake goods as part of a campaign against counterfeiting. You might wonder why fake products are such a bad thing? Surely it’s good for the consumer to have the chance to buy something on the cheap? Well, not always. You cannot guarantee that fake goods conform to the quality standards we expect from products. Fakes can even be dangerous. HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER 11/06/09 United Kingdom

Don’t be a victim of counterfeiters It’s an Aladdin’s Cave of fake designer goods. But this is no dodgy street dealer. It is the top secret warehouse in Birmingham where Trading Standards officers stock-pile the counterfeit items they have seized. According to the latest figure, officers last year seized more than £5.5 million-worth of fake goods. The 330,000 items included fake designer jewellery, counterfeit clothes, phoney trainers and dodgy DVDs. BIRMINGHAM MAIL (SERIES) 11/06/09 United Kingdom

‘Don’t buy fake goods’ message People are putting their health at risk if they buy counterfeit goods, trading standards officers have warned. World Anti-Counterfeiting Day took place yesterday to raise awareness of the dangers of bogus products. LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH 12/06/09 United Kingdom

£100K bill of fakes dealer Consumer watchdogs are urging the public not to support the illegal trade in counterfeit goods. Wigan Council’s Trading Standards team issued the warning just days after a fraudster who tried to fleece Wigan customers was told he will have to pay back £100,000 of his ill-gotten gains. They aim to highlight the murky and often dangerous world of fakes, counterfeits and pirate goods to coincide with World Anti-Counterfeiting Day. WIGAN EVENING POST 12/06/09 United Kingdom

Trading standards issues warning over fake goods It could be seen by shoppers as a way of saving money during the recession, but buying counterfeit goods could cost lives, according to Norfolk’s consumer watchdogs. Fake and potentially dangerous goods are becoming more of a problem, according to Norfolk’s Trading Standards team, which is warning consumers about the pitfalls of buying fake, sub-standards products. NORWICH EVENING NEWS 12/06/09 United Kingdom

500 Nike scam Customs officers seized 7260 pairs of fake Nike trainers, worth more than £500,000, at Felixstowe in Suffolk. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 13/06/09 United Kingdom

Ebay call on antiques industry to help them beat counterfeits Ebay UK have launched a new anti-counterfeit campaign and want to work closely with the antiques industry to beat the fakers. Antiques professionals will be able to plug the gaps in eBay’s expertise when it comes to supporting the fakes, say the online giant. The move comes in the wake of a series of court victories for eBay across Europe - most recently in the High Court in London - in disputes over counterfeit luxury goods. ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES 13/06/09 United Kingdom

Fake goods can harm your health Trading standards bosses have seized £250,000 of illegally manufactured products across Lancashire over the last year. Officers warned using counterfeit goods can bring about ‘serious health problems’. It is claimed 4,000 job losses are linked to the trade in counterfeit goods across the UK each year with industries taking a hit of £1bn per year. LANCASHIRE BUSINESS VIEW 15/06/09 United Kingdom

Smuggling purge Employers in the region are being urged to keep their eyes out for cigarette crime. Business bosses should be on their guard against a minority of employees who may be selling illicit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco to co-workers in factories, warehouses and company car parks. HEARTLAND EVENING NEWS 15/06/09 United Kingdom

Fakes on sale at borough shops While the sale of counterfeit goods in local markets has reduced by 90 percent, a recent check of 30 shops showed that 12 of those - 40 percent - were selling fakes. The fake goods included Durex condoms, cigarettes and Duracell AA and AAA batteries. H & F NEWS (FULHAM EDITION) 16/06/2009 United Kingdom

Look out for illicit traders in tobacco Employers in the Burton Trader area are being urged by customs officials to be on the lookout for workers who may be selling illicit cigarettes, and hand rolling tobacco to their colleagues. The warning comes from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) as it continues efforts to stamp out tobacco smuggling. Smuggling sees around £3bn in revenue drained from the public purse each year - money that could be funding local schools, hospitals, and care homes. BURTON TRADER 17/06/09 United Kingdom; SUTTON COLDFIELD NEWS 19/06/2009 UK

Officers vow illegal fags crackdown Employers in the Staffordshire Moorlands are being urged to be on their guard against employees selling illicit cigarettes. The call comes from HM Revenue and Customs, which has seen a rise in those selling illicit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco to co-workers in factories, warehouses and company car parks. YOUR LEEK PAPER 17/06/2009 United Kingdom

Man pleads guilty to selling fake trainers A Yate man who made up to £1,600 a week selling fake trainers has pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit goods on auction website eBay. Martyn Davis, 28, of Badminton Road, appeared before Bristol Crown Court on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to 13 charges under Trade Marks Act 1994. GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY GAZETTE SERIES 18/06/2009 United Kingdom

Designer label con A wealthy businessman is facing jail for fake designer labels scan. Nazakat Hussain, 45, who runs a string of sports shops, supplied dodgy goods to market stalls around the country. Investigators who seized £100,000 worth of counterfeit Nike, Lacoste and Fred Perry trainers linked invoices for them to his business. SUNDAY MIRROR 21/06/09 United Kingdom

Satnav device a lost cause I purchased a satellite navigation unit on eBay paying through PayPal. The seller was based in China, as so many are. I was content to make the purchase as the software offered was by a well-established company. I attempted to update it with the company’s updates but was unable to do so. The company said it was counterfeit – ‘pirated and hacked’. SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, THE 21/06/09 United Kingdom

Egg on their faces Shoppers may have been conned into paying extra for fake free range eggs. An Irish firm are accused of selling supermarkets 36 million which were really laid by caged hens. SCOTTISH SUNDAY MAIL 21/06/2009 United Kingdom

Payback for trainer scam man A bootleg bandit who raked in thousands flogging phoney designer trainers has been ordered to pay back £25,000. Market trader Larry Howard Macatonia was ordered to pay back the money after being caught by trading standards watchdogs selling counterfeit Nike trainers and clothing in Sutton High Street SUTTON GUARDIAN 25/06/2009 United Kingdom

Crushing fate for the fakes that cost us millions Illegal electrical equipment, unsafe toys and dud pens and watches were destroyed to mark World Anti-counterfeiting Day. West Yorkshire Trading Standards recovered £3m worth of dodgy goods last year. Figures from the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) suggested that the total cost to West Yorkshire could be as much as 300m. LEEDS WEEKLY NEWS (SERIES) 25/06/2009 United Kingdom

Counterfeit goods seized in fair raid Nine hundred counterfeit brand-name items were seized when a stall was raided at the Great Dorset Steam Fair. Weymouth magistrates heard Harmeet Singh Sidana, aged 24, admitted nine offences relating to the fair near Blandford on Thursday and Friday 27/28 August last year. WESTERN DAILY PRESS (SERIES) 25/06/2009 United Kingdom

Smuggler sent to jail over fake cigarettes A 42-year-old smuggling mastermind has been jailed for five years for plotting to sneak almost 12 million cigarettes through Felixstowe docks. Valji Varsani tried to evade more than £2.2m in VAT and excise duty by shipping in the contraband in three separate consignments of counterfeit cigarettes. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 27/06/2009 United Kingdom

NOODLES OF FAGS A million fake cigarettes were recovered when Customs officers raided a Chinese takeaway shop in Nottingham SUNDAY MIRROR 28/06/2009 United Kingdom

Dad & girl gem con A father and a daughter who sold fake Tiffany goods were rumbled after customers complained their jewellery was falling apart and leaving green marks on their skin. Richard Hilton and daughter Kelly, who live in Charles Dickens’s cliff-top mansion Bleak House, in Broadstairs, Kent, were fined £16,500 under the Trades Descriptions Act SUNDAY MIRROR 28/06/2009 United Kingdom

Police issue warning over fake Valium tablets Counterfeit Valium tablets are in circulation on Preston’s streets, police have warned. Police have found that a number of prisoners at Preston police station have previously taken these tablets and were subsequently taken to hospital suffering from a number of side effects. LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 30/06/2009 United Kingdom

Trader sold fake designer goods A market trader caught selling fake designer goods for the third time has been handed a suspended jail sentence. Philip John Rose had 303 counterfeit items seized by trading standards officers at a market in Castle Donington. Rose admitted 13 counts of selling counterfeit goods, between December 2006 and July 2007. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 30/06/2009 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: May 2009

Woman sold counterfeit designer clothes A Valleys woman has been given a 12-month community order for selling fake goods. Trading standards officers seized 42 designer label items found in the front room of Yvette Morgan’s Merthyr Tydfil home last September, including Lyle and Scott T-shirts, Prada sunglasses, Nike trainers, Lacoste polo shirts and shorts, and G Star T-shirts and jeans. SOUTH WALES ECHO 01/05/2009 United Kingdom

CSi removed £35 million of counterfeit and infringing items ... Counterfeit goods and brand infringing products appearing on internet auction sites such as eBay, amazon and b2b trade boards such as Alibaba, cause significant financial and negative brand reputation risk in terms of lost revenue, consumer loyalty, sub-standard performance and alarmingly, health and safety issues. First fake Games Consoles seized in UK Raid A raid to investigate an illegal counterfeiting operation on eBay, the online auction site, lead to a husband and wife team in Kent (UK) and the seizure of 40 counterfeit Nintendo DS consoles-the first instance of its kind in the United Kingdom. £500,000 fake drug stash seized in undercover operation Approximately half a million pounds worth of counterfeit medicines were seized by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) enforcement team on 26 March 2009 as part of simultaneously raid on four locations in Middlesbrough (UK) PRODUCT & IMAGE SECURITY 01/05/2009 United Kingdom

Dangers of fake items on market Visitors to the Staffordshire County Show later this month will be able to see the latest counterfeit designer goods at the HM Revenue & Customs stand. Parents will be able to learn why they should be wary of buying fake items in an industry that costs the UK economy £9 billion a year. Among the exhibits will be imported counterfeit games consoles found to have been supplied with potentially dangerous power adaptors. EXPRESS & STAR (STAFFORD) 06/05/2009; UK STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL SERIES 06/05/2009 UK; STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) 07/05/2009 UK; STAFFORD & STONE CHRONICLE 14/05/2009 United Kingdom

Safety failings are ‘major concern’ A market trader has been fined £300 for selling dodgy Duracell batteries and Nokia mobile phone pouches. Inder Kumar Puri, 32, of Hayes, was found with around 120 unsafe or counterfeit goods at Harrow Market, in the Debenhams car park, in Greenhill Way. Among the products were travel adapters with access to live parts, creating a risk of electric shock for anyone using them. HARROW TIMES 07/05/2009 United Kingdom; HARROW OBSERVER 07/05/2009 UK

Fake fags stashed in shop cellar An illegal cigarette and booze operation has been uncovered in Liverpool. Officers raided a newsagent in Anfield and found hauls of fake alcohol and tobacco. Over 25 kilograms of Golden Virginia tobacco, valued at £6,000, along with 800 packets of cigarettes, were seized. The discoveries were made behind the counter and in shop cellar, stuffed into large mailbags. LIVERPOOL ECHO 07/05/2009 United Kingdom

Steroid nation Youngsters obsessed with expanding their muscles - so called bigorexics, which are the opposite of anorexics - generally have no idea what they are taking and what the side effects may be. Ignorance results in many being duped into buying counterfeit steroids from foreign Internet sites. Mr Lowes said vials of liquid sometimes contain part steroid and part baby oil or cooking oil. Sometimes they contain no steroid at all. WALES ON SUNDAY (SERIES) 10/05/2009 United Kingdom

Coat in a trap A lorry load of fake designer jackets shipped in through Ramsgate harbour is to be destroyed. In total 7,883 fake coats were found, with brands including Timberland, G-Star, Prada and Stone Island, when Customs and Trading Standards stopped the lorry in September. Officers discovered a wall of cardboard boxes containing the fake goods. THANET TIMES 12/05/2009 United Kingdom eBay spared fake goods liability eBay has won an important legal battle in a long-running war with luxury brand owners over the sale of counterfeit goods on its auction site, potentially paving the way for more united approach to fighting fakes. The skirmish between eBay and L’Oreal, the French cosmetic group, is one of a series of lawsuits across the world considering who should be responsible for policing the validity of Internet sales, particularly in high-value markets such as handbags, jewellery and perfume. FINANCIAL TIMES (UK & IRELAND EDITION) 14/05/2009 United Kingdom

Goodbye to fake Hello Kitty A Chinese woman selling fake Hello Kitty goods in a Sutton shopping centre has been deported. Thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit items - enough to fill 29 bin bags - was seized from the Cute Inn stall in the St Nicholas Shopping Centre on Wednesday, May 6. The goods, including bags, purses, children’s toys and household items, will now be destroyed. SUTTON GUARDIAN 14/05/2009 United Kingdom

Authorities raided base of ‘fake Viagra mastermind’ A raid was carried out this week on the Monaghan base of the alleged mastermind behind an outfit selling fake Viagra on the Internet, the high court heard yesterday. The raid on the house occupied by Andrew Mills, also known as Andrew Butcher, was carried out after pharmaceutical giant Pfizer secured a High Court order claiming he was behind the lucrative operation in which a number of counterfeit drugs, allegedly made in China, are sold over the Internet. IRISH INDEPENDENT (EIRE) 16/05/2009 Ireland

Ex-shopkeeper sentenced after cig and booze sales A former shopkeeper has been sentenced to 100 hours’ unpaid work for selling cigarettes and alcohol to an underage person. Amin Ahmed, 27, and formerly of Co-operative Street in Derby, was caught by Derby City Council Trading Standards officers offering counterfeit cigarettes and selling alcohol to a person under 18 from a shop in Normanton between June 3 and September 3 last year. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 16/05/09 United Kingdom

Hard lines Fake Viagra pills containing road paint and printer ink were found on sale in Whitstable, Kent. SUN, THE 19/05/2009 United Kingdom

Counterfeit chainsaws A 32-year-old was arrested on the A1076 after police discovered he was in possession of several counterfeit chainsaws. The man was taken into custody on Friday with a number of fake Stihl chainsaws. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 19/05/09 United Kingdom

Man had van load of fake vodka A man caught with a van load of counterfeit vodka has been brought to justice after 18 months. Michael Airton, 32, of Acre Gate in South Shore, admitted two offences of having falsely labelled vodka and an offence of assaulting a civilian detention officer. He was sentenced to 12 weeks’ imprisonment suspended for 12 months, put on an 8am curfew for three months and ordered to pay his victim £100 compensation and the council £150 costs BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 19/05/09 United Kingdom

Fake batteries cost dear A shopkeeper has been fined more than £12,500 for selling counterfeit Duracell batteries. Council trading standards officers seized over 100 packets of fake batteries - once in 2007 and again in 2008 - from Stock Clearance UK in Dunstable Road. LUTON & DUNSTABLE EXPRESS 20/05/2009 United Kingdom

Charges over fake batteries A company caught with hundreds of counterfeit batteries and dozens of fake lighters has been ordered to pay nearly £7,000. Manchester Direct Trading Limited, on Rugby Street in Cheetham, was found guilty of two counts of possessing trade marked goods without consent and one count of selling the goods, during a hearing at Manchester Magistrates Court. NORTH EAST MANCHESTER ADVERTISER 21/05/09 United Kingdom

Market cheats face jail term The ring leader of a gang of counterfeit market traders has been jailed for 12 months. Manmon Singh Chopra, 32, from Northolt, Middlesex, ran a £400,000 operation that included top designer clothes and footwear. Viki Singh Goulwara, 24, from Hayes, Middlesex, Tanwan Gingh Chopra 31, Rajinder Singh Chopra (28) all from Northolt, Middlesex, also ran stalls at Wembley Market, selling counterfeit clothing and footwear. KILBURN TIMES 21/05/09 United Kingdom; HARROW TIMES 21/05/09 United Kingdom

Public was ‘put at risk’ by fake toys sold by trader A market trader was caught selling more than 800 fake toys at Dawlish Warren market. Trading standards officers caught Bhagat Singh Dubb, 33, from Handworth in Birmingham in June last year selling fake Spiderman and Disney goods including a Winnie the Pooh cuddly bear and toy cars from the hit animation ‘Cars’. TORQUAY HERALD EXPRESS SERIES 22/05/09 United Kingdom

Geeks-on-wheels Over a quarter of all software installed on PCs in the UK is pirated, the Business Software Alliance has claimed. The claim came as the body, whose members include Microsoft and Adobe, released research into piracy around the world. According to the research, the French are some of the worst offenders, with 41 per cent of software installed on PCs thought to be unlicensed. LATEST HOMES 26/05/09 United Kingdom

Crackdown on sale of illegal goods on Internet A crackdown on people selling illegal items on the Internet let to North Lincolnshire council searching five homes last month. Trading standards have seized computers, DVD copiers, counterfeit DVDs, games, clothing, footwear and even bank details and documents. Four people are suspected of either producing, copying, or selling counterfeit items. If found guilty, the offenders face an unlimited fine and up to 10 years imprisonment per offence. SCUNTHORPE EVENING TELEGRAPH 26/05/09 United Kingdom

Bootleg cigs found in shop Bootleg cigarettes with a retail value of more than £2,000 have been seized from a city newsagents. Anthony Kean, who ran Toy’s Newsagents in St Leonard’s Street, Hendon, was due to appear before city magistrates’ last week after denying two charges of possessing the counterfeit tobacco products. SUNDERLAND ECHO 26/05/09 United Kingdom

Dad faces £2,000 fine for having fake goods A dad-of-three has to pay more than £2,000 in fines after being found with a haul of fake goods which could have been sold for thousands of pounds. Charlie Ward, 41, was discovered with three fake Apple iPods, ten watches purporting to be made by Emporio Armani and ten fake JVC camcorders. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 26/05/09 United Kingdom

Jackets are cheap fakes Spalding police are warning people in and around Market Deeping to beware a trader who sells fakes as genuine Italian designer leather jackets. On Friday (May 15) the man offered the jackets at inflated prices to people in the car park of the Rainbow supermarket in Godsey Lane, Market Deeping. LINCOLNSHIRE FREE PRESS 26/05/09 United Kingdom

Bootleg alcohol factory is raided Two men arrested after a raid on an illegal booze factory in Edmonton unearthed bottles of fake vodka. The raid, carried out by Enfield Council, HM Revenue & Customs and Enfield police, was carried out last Wednesday. One man was arrested in connection with illegally made alcohol at the site. Further evidence was found to link both him and the address to the discovery of 2,700 bottles of counterfeit Glen’s vodka in a storage unit in east London. ENFIELD ADVERTISER 27/05/09 United Kingdom; ENFIELD GAZETTE 28/05/09 United Kingdom

Trader gave false name A market trader selling counterfeit toys at Dawlish Market, gave a false name and tried to pretend the stall wasn’t his. Bhagat Dubb from Handworth, Birmingham, gave trading standards officers a false name but police were able to establish his real identity by checking the ownership of his vehicle. DAWLISH GAZETTE 27/05/09 United Kingdom

Beware bogus charity salesmen, cops warn residents Fake charity sellers are feared to be on the prowl. Residents say they have been visited by a group purporting to be selling household goods for The Organisation for Homeless and Unemployed People. The Charity Commission said the organisation was not a registered charity and Post Office Ltd confirmed an address in Essex it claimed to hold did not exist. STREATHAM, CLAPHAM & DULWICH POST 28/05/09 United Kingdom

Off-licence fined for selling deadly vodka A shop owner who sold counterfeit spirits containing deadly methanol has escaped having his drinks licence revolved. Off-licence owner Sivagurd Shivatharsan mistakenly bought fake bottles of Glen’s Vodka from a friend after his stocks ran low at Costcutters in St Helen’s Road, Swansea, last year, a court heard. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 29/05/09 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: April 2009

Counterfeits: reducing the growing threat The value of counterfeit drugs sold globally is estimated at more than $35 billion (£27.5 billion) and The US Centre for Medicines in public interest recently predicted that this figure could reach $75 billion (£58.9 billion) by 2010. A report by the International Medicinal Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT) - created by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2006 to mobilise awareness and action in the fight against counterfeit drugs - stated that 10-30% of medicines for sale in much of the developing world are counterfeit. PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY EUROPE 01/04/2009 United Kingdom

Late news A fraudster selling £26,000 of fake designer clothes, cosmetics and computer games on auction website eBay was caught out by a sting operation. Bhavin Shah (28), who went by the online name healthheaven2000, ordered goods from China. He was caught out when he unknowingly sold counterfeit Gillette Mach3 Turbo razor blades to Brent and Harrow Trading Standards officers. WESTERN MAIL SERIES 03/04/2009 United Kingdom DUNDEE EVENING TELEGRAPH 02/04/2009 United Kingdom

Seized: Huge haul of fake designer shoes and trainers worth £2.3m Fake designer shoes and trainers with a street value of £2.3millon have been seized by Customs officers at Britain’s largest container port. The 318 boxes of counterfeit Jimmy Choo and Gucci ladies’ shoes and boots, and 600 cartons of fake Nike trainers, were found at Felixstowe in Suffolk. They are thought to have been shipped from China and would have been sold at car boot sales. Jim Jarvie, of the UK Border Agency, said: ‘Most illegal goods fund organised crime and even terrorism.’ DAILY MAIL 10/04/09 UK IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 02/04/2009 United Kingdom

Bogus goods haul Hundreds of counterfeit items bound for a car boot sale were recovered when a businessman’s home was raided. Trading standards officers launched an investigation after buying a pair of fake Nike trainers from Leonard Evans at a Seaham car boot sale. PETERLEE STAR 02/04/2009 United Kingdom

Man sold fake iPods on internet A man who bought and sold counterfeit items using the Internet from his home has been prosecuted by Dorset County Council’s Trading Standards Service. Goods included iPods, watches and well known brands of clothing and footwear. DORSET ECHO 02/04/2009 United Kingdom

The fag end Smokers could find themselves sucking down a cocktail of harmful or even illegal chemicals if they buy counterfeit cigarettes at car boot sales. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued the warning to Lincolnshire bargain hunters to coincide with Easter and the start of the car boot sale season. LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO 03/04/2009 United Kingdom BOSTON STANDARD 08/04/2009 United Kingdom

Court action against eBay counterfeit trader postponed Fresh court action against a north-east woman who was caught with £11,000 of counterfeit clothes has been postponed. Fiona Begg narrowly avoided being jailed just before Christmas after a court heard how council officers uncovered thousands of pounds worth of fake branded clothes at her home at Stuartfield. ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 03/04/2009 United Kingdom

Some bottle... mafia’s fake champagne scam uncorked British restaurants have been unwittingly selling ‘champagne’ that was bottled in a factory in Turin by Italian ‘wine counterfeiters’ as part of a Europe-wide fraud involving hundreds of thousands of bottles. French customs officials discovered the fake champagne when they seized a batch of 2,000 suspect bottles, provoking an investigation by police in Turin and the champagne industry in France IRISH INDEPENDENT (EIRE) 04/04/2009 Ireland

Dates set for counterfeit clothing trials Two traders operating stalls at Penrith’s Saturday market appeared at Carlisle Crown Court on Tuesday accused of selling counterfeit clothing. Mohammed Pervez Akthar (44) denied 15 charges brought by Cumbria Trading Standards department. His brother, Mohammed Javed Akthar (39), appeared in a separate case immediately afterwards and pleaded not guilty to 15 similar but different charges. CUMBERLAND & WESTMORLAND HERALD (SERIES) 04/04/2009 United Kingdom eBay fraudster is caught out in sting A fraudster selling £26,000 of fake designer clothes, cosmetics and computer games on auction website eBay was caught out by a sting operation. Bhavin Shah, 28, who went by the online name healthheaven2000, ordered goods from China to sell to UK consumers. He was caught out when he unknowingly sold counterfeit Gillette Mach3 Turbo razor blades to Brent and Harrow Trading Standards officers. WESTERN MAIL SERIES 03/04/2009 United Kingdom

Cheap cigarette warning Customs officers last night warned people to be on the look out for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes as the car boot season gets underway this Easter. Cheap tobacco products can often seem like an attractive offer but it is almost impossible to spot counterfeit cigarettes. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (WELSH EDITION) 04/04/2009 United Kingdom

Crackdown on counterfeit cigs Customs and Trading Standards officers have a new weapon in their fight against counterfeit cigarettes. New covert makings on cigarette packages and tobacco pouches are invisible to the naked eye. But they can be identified on hand-held readers used by officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Lancashire Trading Standards. LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH 04/04/2009 United Kingdom

Police in city market swoop Suspected stolen mobile phones and counterfeit goods were seized in raids on a business at Preston’s market. Uniformed police officers swooped on two stalls and a shop in city centre as shocked traders and shoppers looked on. The raids yesterday were part of an operation cracking down on suspected rogue traders dealing in stolen property. LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 07/04/2009 United Kingdom

Fakes help out Counterfeit items seized by trading standards officers in North East Lincolnshire are helping disadvantaged people after a distribution deal was struck with a local charity. The trading standards team has been working with Brookenby-based His Church to bring seized counterfeit clothing back into use. GRIMSBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 07/04/2009 United Kingdom

Shops are stung in illegal cigs swoop Four shops near the centre of Derby have been caught during a crackdown on retailers selling smuggled or counterfeit cigarettes. Customs officers raided the shops, in Normanton, and seized illegal goods which would have fetched more than £11,000 if they were sold legally. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 08/04/2009 United Kingdom DERBY EXPRESS 16/04/2009 United Kingdom PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Smugglers foiled in attempt to bring in illegal tobacco Parcels containing a substantial amount of hand rolling tobacco (HRT) have been seized at Stanstead Airport after smugglers attempted to hide it in rolls of fabric and tubes of baseballs. Barry McGill, assistant director UK Border Agency (UKBA), said: ‘These seizures illustrate the lengths that smugglers will go to in an attempt to bring their illegal tobacco products into the UK, as well as the skill and dedication of UK Border Agency officers in intercepting the parcels’. SAFFRON WALDEN REPORTER 09/04/2009 United Kingdom BRAINTREE & WITHAM TIMES 08/04/2009 United Kingdom DUNMOW BROADCAST & RECORDER 09/04/2009 United Kingdom

‘Don’t be tempted by cheap cigarettes at sales’ Easter visitors to car boot sales are being warned to be on the look out for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is reminding people visiting car boot sales and markets of the dangers of the illicit cigarette trade. It says cheap tobacco can seem attractive but the sales are unlicensed and unregulated BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS 10/04/2009 United Kingdom

Drivers are warned over fake tobacco Drivers are being warned to look out for rogue traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes as the car boot season steps up. The Government’s Revenue and Customs department warns that, though cheap tobacco products can seem attractive these sales are unlicensed and unregulated. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 10/04/2009 United Kingdom

‘My needles are blunt’ A mum is angry after her eight-year-old diabetic daughter was left bruised by blunt needles. Claudia Allison has to inject insulin four times a day. But her mum Angela only found out the needles were ‘counterfeit’ when she got an e-mail from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 10/04/2009 United Kingdom

19k seized from dodgy booze peddler Thousands of pounds have been seized from a man convicted of peddling counterfeit goods. Police won an order at Newcastle Crown Court to confiscate £19,000 from 58-year-old John Mason. The case brought by trading standards officers involved 40,000 counterfeit cigarettes and 125 litres of methanol - which can cause blindness and even death - disguised as Kristoff Vodka. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 13/04/2009 United Kingdom

1 million fake cigarettes recovered in North-east Crime gangs have flooded the North-east with more than one million fake cigarettes, the Evening Express can reveal today. Customs officers have uncovered hauls of illicit tobacco - laced with rat droppings and sawdust. The fakes, shipped in by criminals in China and Eastern Europe, have been seized at Aberdeen Airport, ports and car boot sales. ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 14/04/2009 United Kingdom

Fake fags not worth the risk It is shocking that criminals have flooded the North-east with counterfeit cigarettes. But smokers tempted to buy fake fags, believing they offer a bargain, should think again. They may not realise what these bogus cigarettes contain - and it’s terrifying. ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 14/04/2009 United Kingdom

Fake straighteners could catch fire A haul of fake and dangerous hair straighteners has been recovered by police and council officers in north Lincolnshire. A dozen appliances were recovered from two cars stopped by Humberside Police and three suspects are due to answer police bail in April. Trading standards officers at North Lincolnshire Council found the devices, being sold as top-of-the-range GHD straighteners, to be ‘unsafe’ after testing and they have issued warnings about using the fake products PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

SCUNTHORPE EVENING TELEGRAPH 16/04/2009 United Kingdom

Net drugs warning Doctors have issued a health warning against buying drugs over the Internet. It follows a survey for GP newspaper which found that one in four family medics had treated patients made ill by medicines bought online. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 16/04/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over online chemists Doctors issued a new warning on the dangers of buying drugs over the internet today after it emerged one in four has treated patients made ill by them. People face a ‘minefield’ when it comes to buying on-line, with many sites offering fake medicines and promoting online doctors and advisers who have no professional qualifications. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 16/04/2009 United Kingdom

Shops are caught selling illegal goods Four shops near the centre of Derby have been caught during a crackdown on retailers selling smuggled or counterfeit cigarettes. Customs officers raided the shops, in Normanton, and seized illegal goods which would have fetched more than 11,000 if they were sold legally. DERBY EXPRESS 16/04/2009 United Kingdom

Flood of fake cigs Gangs of criminals are flooding the north east of Scotland with tons of tobacco and counterfeit cigarettes. More than a million fake fags containing high levels of dangerous chemicals were recovered in the area in the past year. Smokers looking for cut price tobacco are now being warned they are helping fund international crime gangs and are seriously risking their health. DUNDEE EVENING TELEGRAPH 16/04/2009 United Kingdom

Be on your guard for stolen or fake goods public warned The public are being warned to look for stolen and counterfeit goods being sold. Wrexham council’s Trading Standards have raised the alert following a number of cases reported where poor quality counterfeit tools or cameras have been sold. CHESTER EVENING LEADER 17/04/2009 United Kingdom

‘Pay back 60,000 or more’ jail order Two brothers who made thousands of pounds selling counterfeit goods on eBay have been ordered to pay back the public or face more time in jail. Arif and Murad have been told they must pay back £60,000 from the cash they made selling the fake clothes and trainers on the Internet. LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH 18/04/2009 United Kingdom

Trader jailed for selling fake toys A trader is doing time after being caught selling fake Doctor Who toys. Malik Aftab Hussain was jailed for 10 months for his dodgy dealing at the annual Neath Fair - which included selling counterfeit and unsafe toys. He was also ordered to pay more than £34,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act, 2002. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 21/04/2009 United Kingdom

Fake perfume seller ignored warnings A Polish national working in this country sold thousands of bottles of fake perfume on eBay. Matuesz Guzda, aged 27, of Beaufighter Grove, Tunstall, bought the bottles in bulk from a dealer in his country, though he believed they originally came from France and Spain. STOKE ON TRENT SENTINEL SERIES 25/04/2009 United Kingdom

Man admits selling counterfeit toys A man caught selling counterfeit toys at a market in Dawlish Warren has appeared in court. Trading Standards officers seized 800 items from Bhagat Dubb, 33, from Birmingham, at Dawlish Warren market last June. He appeared at South Devon Magistrates Court in Newton Abbot and pleaded guilty to four charges relating to the unauthorised use of trademarks. TORQUAY HERALD EXPRESS SERIES 27/04/2009 United Kingdom

Fake Teletubies land trader in jail A man who sold fake Doctor Who, Spiderman and Teletubbies toys at a Norfolk market has been sent to prison and ordered to pay more than £34,000. A trading standards investigations team discovered that Malik Hussain was selling the toys at Snetterton market in December 2007. NORWICH EVENING NEWS 30/04/2009 United Kingdom

Ten million illegal cigarettes seized in city swoop Customs officers have seized more than 10 million illegal cigarettes after they used cutting equipment to gain access to storage containers at ware-houses in Sheffield. Specialist fire-fighters were called in by HM Revenue and Customs to assist in the operation on industrial premises in the Brightside and Attercliffe areas. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 30/04/2009 United Kingdom

Woman sold designer fakes to her friends A Cefn Coed woman has been given a 12-month community order for selling fake goods. Trading Standards officers seized 42 designer label items found in the front room of Yvette Morgan’s home last September including Lyle and Scott T-shirts, Prada sunglasses, Nike trainers, Lacoste polo shirts and shorts, G Star T-shirts and jeans. MERTHYR EXPRESS 30/04/2009 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: March 2009

Fake Fags Seized In City Raids Illegaly imported cigarettes and tobacco worth £50,000 have been seized by trading standards officers in Derby. The 250,000 counterfeit cigarettes were found during raids on two warehouses and one shop in the city as part of an undercover sting. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 02/03/2009 United Kingdom

The Hard Sell Internet crooks are making fake Viagra in cement mixers. From £333 worth of ingredients they can make tablets selling for £200,000. But people taking them could be risking their lives, an expert warned. Jim Thomson, of European Alliance for Access to safe Medicines, last night said ‘major- league’ international narcotics dealers were turning to selling the fake tablets for £20 each because it was ‘2,000 times more profitable’ than dealing in cocaine. SUN, THE 02/03/2009 United Kingdom DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 03/03/2009 United Kingdom

Fake vodka raids Intelligence gathered through the UK’s Food Standards Agency’s national food fraud database has led police, customs and environmental health officers to raid four premises in the London Borough of Haringey and seize hundreds of bottles of potentially dangerous counterfeit vodka. PRODUCT & IMAGE SECURITY 03/03/2009 United

Shop fined again over fake toys A toy shop prosecuted for stocking sub standard counterfeit goods for the fourth time in 18 months was given a ‘lenient’ £5,000 fine because of the credit crunch. Baljit Singh, director of 7 Star UK, on Lockett Street, Strangeways, admitted four trademark offences. A trading standards investigation found thousands of counterfeit movie and TV-themed toys at the premises. NORTH EAST MANCHESTER ADVERTISER 03/03/2009 United

Woman sold ‘lethal’ toys in centre A woman who sold potentially lethal toys and fake Dr Who merchandise in Sutton has been sentenced to 300 hours of community service. Kelly Magnas, 31, of Buckles Lane, South Ockendon, Essex, pleaded guilty to five consumer safety and four trading standards in relation to items she sold in the St Nicholas Centre in November 2007 SUTTON GUARDIAN 03/03/2009 United

Fake designer shoe case is adjourned An investigation on the financial affairs of a woman who sold fake designer shoes at an Ipswich public house has been adjourned Before Ipswich Crown Court was Kim O’Hagan, who has admitted selling shoes which had false trademark labels including Chanel and Christian Dior. EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 03/03/2009 United IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 03/03/2009 United

College student sold fake goods on the Internet A teenage student who picked up enterprising tips as part of a special scheme at his school, made ill- gotten gains from his new knowledge by flogging fake goods on the Internet. Matthew Tinkler, 19, from Turnham Green picked up advice on how to get ahead in business on a Young Enterprise Scheme at school, but his teachers would not have taught him that landed him in court. NORWICH EVENING NEWS 03/03/2009 United

Hi-tech pirate escapes prison A man caught selling pirated computer software at a Leeds sports centre has escaped jail. Father-of- four Wassem Malik, 40, was at a Red Rats computer fair at Rothwell Sports Centre, Leeds Crown Court heard. Police and trading standards officers seized 1,000 disks of which 431 were found to be counterfeit. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 03/03/2009 United

Crackdown on sales of fake goods online Trading Standards officials in Shropshire today announced they are launching a crackdown on fake goods being sold on the Internet. Criminals are using the Internet more than ever as a way to sell counterfeit and dodgy goods to the public, the county’s enforcement officers warned. SHROPSHIRE STAR (SERIES) 03/03/2009 United

Cutting Counterfeit Risk The risk of encountering counterfeit components has risen significantly in recent times. The sheer scale was highlighted by a US/EU customs operation which seized 360,000 counterfeit electronic components over a two-week period late last year. ELECTRONICS WEEKLY 04/03/2009 United Kingdom

Fake Vodka Sold By Off-Licence Owner Was Unsafe To Drink Unsafe illegal vodka was found on sale at a Valley store, a court has heard. Shop owner Avtar Singhm, 32, of High Street, Cefn Coed, Merthyr Tydfil, was fined £405 and ordered to pay £997.37 costs at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court. SOUTH WALES ECHO 05/03/2009 United Kingdom

No Headline An Internet trader who sold counterfeit straighteners and fake cosmetics on his website has been fined a total of £2,400, writes Lorraine King. Ausman Khalid, of Wembley, duped his fashion-conscious victims into paying up to £90 for the GHD straighteners at KILBURN TIMES 05/03/2009 United Kingdom

Foul Tasting Cig Was Counterfeit A newsagent was caught with a haul of counterfeit cigarettes after costumer complained of a ‘foul- tasting’ cigarette. Trading Standards officers launched an investigation into Everyday News, Potovens Lane, Outwood, after an allegation that cigarettes were being sold under the counter and in singles. BATLEY & BIRSTALL NEWS 06/03/2009 United Kingdom YORKSHIRE EVENING POST 09/03/2009 United Kingdom

L’Oreal Mounts Legal Challenge Over eBay Sales A whiff of perfume hangs over law courts from Paris to London this week, as French consumer group L’Oreal and online retailer eBay square off in series of legal tussles over counterfeit goods and the right of companies to dictate where their products are sold. FINANCIAL TIMES (UK & IRELAND EDITION) 10/03/2009 UK, DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 10/03/2009 UK, OLDHAM EVENING CHRONICLE 10/03/2009 UK, ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 10/03/2009 UK, CAMPAIGN 13/03/2009 UK

Contraband Cigarette Man Spared Jail Term A contrite former miner who became involved in contraband cigarette sales has walked free from a Doncaster court with a suspended sentence. Thomas John Hunter wiped away tears as a judge at Doncaster Crown Court told him he had decided not to send him down because of ‘all the good things I have heard about you’ in testimonials from friends and associates. DONCASTER STAR 10/03/2009 United Kingdom

Swoop on Fake T-Shirt Racket A massive fake T-shirt racket has been uncovered behind the doors of a Blackpool home. Trading standards officers raided the semi-detached house on Highfield Road, South Shore, after a tip off that a husband and wife team were ripping of trademarked designs - including those from hit teen film ‘High School Musical’. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 10/03/2009 United Kingdom

Fakes on Oxford Street An Oxford Street trader has been convicted of selling thousands of fake Rolex watches and Gucci handbags. Harvey Jassemine was prosecuted after trading standards officers from Westminster Council raided his stall inside the former Amazon arcade to seize more than 1,500 counterfeit bags, belts, wallets and watches. LONDON PAPER 10/03/2009 United Kingdom

Market trader caught selling fake trainers A market trader who tried to sell counterfeit trainers in Harpurhey has been ordered to pay nearly £2,000. Iqbal Patel, 46, pleaded guilty to five counts of possessing trademark goods without consent when he appeared before Manchester magistrates. They found 139 pairs of counterfeit Nike trainers, ten pairs of counterfeit Lacoste trainers and several bogus keyrings, bearing the Ford, Jaguar and Land Rover logos. NORTH EAST MANCHESTER ADVERTISER 12/03/2009 United Kingdom

Dodgy trader is fined £5k A trader caught with £42,000 worth of fake goods was fined £5000 yesterday. John McOlvogue, 33, kept more than 4000 pieces of bogus Lacoste, Armani, Diesel and Prada clothes and trainers in a business unit in Kenning Park, Glasgow SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 17/03/2009 United Kingdom

Raid nets illegal tobacco Smuggled cigarettes and tobacco valued at more than £10,000 were discovered after a raid at the home of a 62-year-old woman in Winsford. About £1,300 in cash, £2,000 worth of copied DVDs and £1,200 counterfeit cigarettes were also found at the property on Grampian Way after joint operation between Cheshire Trading Standards, Cheshire Constabulary and HM Revenue & Customs on Thursday. MID CHESHIRE CHRONICLE 18/03/2009 United Kingdom

Chain store selling fake goods has 28 days to pay £150,000 A man caught selling fake iPod accessories has been slapped with a £150,000 fine. Mr Arshhid Hussain who ran Fone Box in the St Nicholas Centre was also sentenced to 160 hours Community Punishment after a successful prosecution by Sutton Council. About 185 items were seized including counterfeit mobile phone covers and accessories, football tags and Simpsons accessories. SUTTON GUARDIAN 19/03/2009 United Kingdom

Police net illegal haul in flat raid A haul of drugs, cash, and dodgy cigarettes were seized when police raided a block of flats. Officers smashed their way into the flats at St Peter’s Court, in Sacristan, Country Durham, on Tuesday. They used a search warrant to access the building after receiving a tip-off that it was being used as an illegal drugs factory. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 19/03/2009 United Kingdom

£19k fine for counterfeit software importer A man who imported and sold counterfeit software has been fined £19,500. Iqbal Ahmed, of Inchwood Avenue, Bathgate, was convicted of five charges under section 92(1)(c) of the Trade Marks Act 1994. The counterfeit goods involved included 600 copies of Microsoft Windows XP software, 1800 fake Epsom print cartridges and 50 fake Hewlett Packard cartridges. EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS 19/03/2009 United Kingdom

Shop owner fined for selling illegal vodka Unsafe illegal vodka was found on sale at a Valleys store, a court has heard. Shop owner Avtar Singh, 32, of High Street, Cefn Coed, Merthyr Tydfil, was fined £405 and ordered to pay £997.37 costs by Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates. He pleaded guilty to offences under the Food and Safety Act 1990 and the Trademarks Act 1994 RHYMNEY VALLEY EXPRESS 19/03/2009 United Kingdom

Con-line shopping Fake branded goods worth £800 million were sold on UK shopping web-sites last year, a study has revealed. Sales are rising by 45 per cent a year. Fashion items such as watches and handbags account for 59 per cent of fake traded, said the Annual European Anti-Counterfeit report. SUN, THE 20/03/2009 United Kingdom

Trader was selling fake trainers A Neath trader has been made the subject of a 12-month community order after being caught selling counterfeit Nike trainers/ Trading standards officers seized 263 pairs of the fake footwear when they went to Satpal Singh’s stall at Rheola Market, prosecutor Ben Blakemore told a judge. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 24/03/2009 United Kingdom

Pirate booted into jail A Hull market trader has been sentenced to a year in prison after being found guilty of selling and distributing counterfeit game discs. The discs were for PlayStation 2 Portable, PlayStation, Xbox 360 and Wii consoles and PCs. A search of his home had revealed more than 1,500 illegal game discs in various formats. ERT WEEKLY 26/03/2009 United Kingdom

Cheat traders sent to prison A pair of counterfeiters who planned to flood the market with fake sports and designer goods have been jailed and ordered to hand over £50,000. Harrow Crown Court heard Imdad Ullah, of Westminster Court in Aberdeen Place, Marylebone, and Rashid Mejdoub from Chelsea, were caught in their tracks after eagle-eyed officers from Brent and Harrow Trading Standards KILBURN TIMES 26/03/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over car-boot cigs Bargain-hunters are being warned to be on the lookout for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes as the car boot season gets under way this Easter. The warning has come from HM Revenue and Customs. It says cheap tobacco can often seem like an attractive offer but such sales are unlicensed and unregulated and can contain poisonous chemicals. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH 27/03/2009 United Kingdom SUTTON COLDFIELD NEWS 27/03/2009 United Kingdom EXPRESS & STAR (STAFFORD) 27/03/2009 United Kingdom SHEFFIELD STAR 30/03/2009 United Kingdom

‘We are ashamed and we plead guilty. We have never been in ...’ They used a York car boot sale as the base of operations for their rogue trading - now a shamed couple are waiting to learn their fate after being caught selling dodgy designer clothes. Paramijit Singh and Surinder Kaur aimed to line their pockets by flogging fake top-name clothing - which included brand names and designer labels such as Armani, Diesel, Playboy, Nike and Timberland. YORK EVENING PRESS 27/03/2009 United Kingdom

‘Don’t trade with counterfeit dealers’ warning People are being warned to be on the look-out for traders selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes as the car boot sale season gets under way this Easter. HM Revenue & Customs is warning people visiting car boot sales and markets to be aware of the dangers of the illicit cigarette trade BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS 27/03/2009 United Kingdom

Battery fakes could have put trader in a cell of his own - Judge A businessman and a role model in Cardiff’s Sikh community has been convicted for stocking fake Duracell batteries. Sangat Singh was yesterday given a suspended jail sentence for having more than £30,000 worth of counterfeit stock on his shelves. The fake Duracell packages were said to be so good they were almost indistinguishable from the real thing SOUTH WALES ECHO 28/03/2009 United Kingdom

£40,000 in fake goods seized Almost £40,000 worth of bogus goods have been seized by trading standards officers in Grampian over the past three years, new figures have revealed. Thousands of fake items, including clothing, DVDs, cigarettes and alcohol have been recovered in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray since 2006. ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 30/03/2009 United Kingdom

Fake darts flights were not in the Premier League A man made thousands of pounds by selling fake darts flights from top Premier League clubs. But keen-eyed officials at Manchester United blew the whistle on Sean David Catton, after spotting the bogus flights advertised on internet auction site eBay. CHESTER EVENING LEADER 31/03/2009 United Kingdom WREXHAM EVENING LEADER 31/03/2009 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: February 2009

Police seize fake goods Raids in Knowsley Village have netted more than 6,000 illegal cigarettes as well as hundreds of items of fake designer goods. Knowsley’s consumer protection officers, HM Revenue and Customs and Merseyside Police descended on homes in the village on Friday. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (ENGLISH EDITION) 04/02/2009 United Kingdom

Briefing Police raided a home and seized hundreds of fake goods and smuggled cigarettes. Officers found more than 6,000 smuggled cigarettes in the house in Knowsley Village, alongside fake DVDs, clothing and perfume. They also found 26kg of illicit tobacco and eventually removed 27 bags and boxes of counterfeit designer goods. LIVERPOOL ECHO 07/02/2009 United Kingdom LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (ENGLISH EDITION) 04/02/2009 United Kingdom

Hidden dangers of dodgy drugs on the Internet Open your email inbox and the chances are you’ll find it includes junk mail invariably offering solutions to impotence problems. Its estimated that 90 per cent of drugs sold over the Internet have been "watered down" and contain less of the active ingredients. SCOTTISH SUNDAY POST (SERIES) 08/02/2009 United Kingdom

The Italian job A squad of trading standards officers are trying to snare a gang of conmen targeting shoppers in Lincolnshire. They operate in car parks without CCTV, usually claim to have lost all their money on the way home from a conference before offering their victim fake designer clothes. LINCOLN TARGET 20/02/2009 United

Snap shot A man was killed when his camera phone exploded in his face, according to reports in China. Authorities are investigating if he had recently fitted a counterfeit battery. The explosion is understood to have severed an artery in the victim’s neck AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER 20/02/2009 United

Dispute over Blades merchandise licence Keith Doherty, of Darnall, has applied to Sheffield Council for permission to continue standing at the corner of Clough Road and behind the John Street stand. The 54-year-old, who has sold unofficial Sheffield United hats, scarves and badges outside the ground for years is due to have his application considered by a licensing board today DONCASTER STAR 20/02/2009 United SHEFFIELD STAR 20/02/2009 United

Counterfeit goods donated Thurrock Council has donated thousands of counterfeit items to a national humanitarian aid organisation. The goods, confiscated by the council’s Trading Standards Department, are being donated to the organisation called ‘His Church’ and distributed mainly in Africa include clothes and handbags. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 20/02/2009 United

Seized Huge hauls of illegal cigarettes, drugs and dangerous weapons have been seized at the region’s biggest airport. Tobacco trafficers have been caught trying to sneak more than 30 million cigs into Newcastle International Airport in just six months. UK Border Agency also recovered around £2m worth of class A drugs and weapons including samurai swords, knuckle-dusters, CS gas sprays disguised as pens and lighters. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE JOURNAL 20/02/2009 United PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353 59

Company will ensure no fake drugs repeat A drugs firm rocked by a fake medicine probe says it has tightened up controls following the incident. Brian McEwan, General Manager of Waymade, said the company, based in Basildon, already has stringent protocols in place around the drug suppliers. But in the investigation, the firm has joined a global and European network of pharmaceutical firms which exchange information supplying medicines SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 20/02/2009 United

Fake Watch Man Guilty A Pontypool man was ordered to pay more than £20,000 after being convicted of selling counterfeit watches. John James Coop, of Greenhill Road, Griffithistown, denied selling counterfeit watches, including imitations of Omega and Rolex brands, over five-year period via the internet after importing them from the far east but was found guilty at court. SOUTH WALES ARGUS 21/02/2009 United Kingdom

Twenty Homes Raided In Major Drugs Bust Hundreds of police swooped on suspects in a massive crackdown on guns, drugs and fake clothes. The major series of raids - one of the biggest of its kind ever launched in Herts - saw 300 police including dogs and firearms officers strike at homes across the west of the county. HEMEL HEMPSTEAD GAZETTE 25/02/2009 United Kingdom

Payout Appeal Rejected A father and son hit with a £280,000 confiscation order for trading in counterfeit goods have failed in an Appeal Court bid to claw back part of the cash. Ehsan Khan, 60, and Rizwan Khan, 25, from Birmingham, admitted 16 charges concerning dealing in counterfeit goods by their company Bad Boys Clothing Ltd. EXPRESS & STAR CANNOCK (MID STAFFS) 27/02/2009 United Kingdom

Concern Over Fake Razors Fake brand razor blades were sold by a woman shopkeeper on Blackpool Promenade. Karen Williamson, 40, of Onslow Road, Layton, admitted having counterfeit goods. She was given a three- week curfew which states she must be inside her home between 8pm and 7am and ordered to pay £200 costs by Blackpool magistrates. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 28/02/2009 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: January 2009

Man jailed for selling fake clothes on eBay A man has been jailed for 12 months after selling hundreds of fake designer clothes on eBay. Huw David Rees, 28, of Commercial Street Maesteg, admitted transferring criminal property and three counts of unauthorised use of a trademark. Newport Crown Court heard Rees, who worked for British Transport Police, had been selling fake clothes on the online auction site, including more than 400 pairs of counterfeit Diesel cargo shorts. WESTERN MAIL SERIES 01/01/2009 United Kingdom SOUTH WALES ECHO (SERIES) 01/01/2009 United Kingdom

Alert over fake Colgate toothpaste Trading Standards chiefs are warning people to be on the lookout for counterfeit Colgate toothpaste. The alert follows the purchase of a tube of the toothpaste in Preston. The product affected is Colgate ‘Great Regular Flavour Cavity Protection’ toothpaste in 100ml tubes with a manufacturing code of 8037PL1115 LYTHAM ST ANNES EXPRESS 01/01/2009 United Kingdom

Fake hair product warning Consumer watchdogs are warning residents not to get their fingers burnt on dangerous fake designer hair straightening irons. The look-alike irons being sold in the region are counterfeit versions of the top-rated GHD brand’s Hot Pink irons, a limited edition product sold in October last year to promote Breast Cancer Awareness month. LEIGH, TYLDESLEY & ATHERTON JOURNAL 01/01/2009 United Kingdom

Lethal vodka could shut newsagents Bottles of illegal and potentially lethal vodka found on sale at a Collier Row newsagents could lead to the place being shut down. Collier Row Newsagent was stocking the brew and will face a licence review at Havering Town Hall on January 9 and recommendations are that owner, John Queenstan, must change his ways or risk losing all. ROMFORD RECORDER (SERIES) 02/01/2009 United Kingdom

Police clerk in eBay scam A police records clerk was jailed yesterday for selling fake designer clothes on eBay. Huw Rees, 28, logged crimes and criminals’ details while playing a part in an international scam. He sold the fakes under the name ‘hugeandhard’ and sent nearly £100,000 to an accomplice in Thailand. The transport police employee admitted transferring criminal property and trademark misuse. DAILY MIRROR 03/01/2009 United Kingdom

Health fears grow as fake drugs flood into Britain Counterfeit gangs based in China are producing sophisticated copies of the world’s bestselling pharmaceuticals. In 2008 an estimated 8m of these potentially deadly pills found their way to NHS patients. The health of millions of people is at risk. They were made in China, labelled in French and then shipped to Singapore. They ended up in Liverpool and from there were sold straight into the heart of the NHS. As the criminal investigation continues into how a fake consignment of Zyprexa, an antipsychotic treatment prescribed for schizophrenia, infiltrated Britain’s healthcare system last year. OBSERVER, THE 04/01/2009 United Kingdom

Operation to target dodgy traders People selling counterfeit goods are being caught red handed by trading standards officers keen to stamp out the problem. Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service ins continuing its work to target dodgy market traders with a series of operations securing thousands of pounds with of items. HEARTLAND EVENING NEWS 05/01/2009 United Kingdom

£8m fraud charges York trading standards officers are prosecuting four people over an alleged £8 million fraud involving fake jewellery. The four were charged as part of an investigation into sales of trade-marked jewellery in the city. Trading standards officers allege that the four are responsible for a warehouse that held 166,000 items, that if genuine, would have been worth £8 million. YORK EVENING PRESS 06/01/2009 United Kingdom

£200,000 fake goods haul More than £200,000 worth of fake clothes, watches and handbags bound for London street markets were seized in Ponders End last week. Police found the goods in a raid at a Ponders End property in connection with an unrelated inquiry in East London. ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 07/01/2009 United Kingdom

Shop owners fined over vodka Two shop owners in Slough have been fined for being in possession of 70 counterfeit bottles of vodka. Pal Singh Arora, of Metro Food and Wine, in Farnham Road, pleaded guilty to four offences under the Trade Marks Act and Trade Descriptions Act. He was fined £1,215 (6000 penalty with 615) for offences relating to 12 bottles of Glen’s Vodka and 10 bottles of Kirov Vodka. SLOUGH MIDWEEK 07/01/2009 United Kingdom

Watchdogs target fake goods traders Trading Standards spent the festive season making sure dodgy gifts didn’t end up under Christmas trees in a blitz on counterfeit goods. In separate raids officers seized perfume featuring unauthorised images of well-known celebrities and continued to rid the streets of un-hallmarked items of jewellery and counterfeit goods. LUTON & DUNSTABLE EXPRESS 07/01/2009 United Kingdom

All that glistens may not be genuine Bargain hunters in Luton are being warned to beware of dodgy retailers selling counterfeit jewellery, possibly without a hallmark. In the UK, all jewellery exceeding certain weights - silver 7.78g, gold 1g, platinum 0.5g - must have hallmark to specify its purity. Any item displayed for sale must also carry a hallmark. LUTON NEWS 07/01/2009 United Kingdom

Fresh warning over fake toothpaste Lancashire County Council’s Trading Standards Service has renewed warnings about counterfeit toothpaste. It comes after a shopper in Preston bought a 100ml tube of Colgate Great Regular Flavour Cavity Protection Toothpaste that was found to be fake and was not produced by Colgate-Palmolive. It is believed the fake goods may have been on sale at Sainsbury’s between Nov 28 and December. CHORLEY CITIZEN 07/01/2009 United Kingdom

Police stumble on warehouse of fakes Police officers discovered dozens of boxes of fake designer clothes while looking for a long book at a warehouse in Ponders End. It is estimated that the haul, which included fake Armani jackets, Jimmy Choo shoes and Gucci watches, had a street value of about 200,000. Officers arrested two men in connection with the fakes. They have been released on bail until February. ENFIELD ADVERTISER 07/01/2009 United Kingdom

Pair fined £1,000 each for selling illicit tobacco A Valleys couple have been fined £1,000 each for selling illicit imported cigarettes and tobacco. Robert Ian Edwards and Cheryl Searle, of Woodlands Place, Quakers Yard, Merthyr Tydfil, admitted charges of selling and possessing for sale imported cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco, which failed to carry the required health warnings. MERTHYR EXPRESS 08/01/2009 United Kingdom

Don’t be fooled by fake hair straighteners Trading standards chiefs are warning Bury shoppers not to have a bad hair day by buying counterfeit straighteners. The hair irons are fake versions of the top-rated GHD brand’s Hot Pink irons, a limited edition product sold in October last year to promote Breast Cancer Awareness month. RADCLIFFE TIMES 08/01/2009 United Kingdom BURY TIMES 08/01/2009 United Kingdom

Don’t get your fingers burned by fake straighteners Trafford residents have been warned not to get their fingers burned by fake hair straighteners. Trading Standards and consumer watchdogs said lookalike GHD straightening irons are being sold across the region. The counterfeits include versions of the brand’s ‘Hot Pink’ irons, a limited edition product sold in October to promote Breast Cancer Awareness month, as well as the traditional black GHD. STRETFORD & URMSTON MESSENGER 08/01/2009 United Kingdom

Police stumble on warehouse of fakes Police officers discovered dozens of boxes of fake designer clothes at a warehouse in Ponders End. It is estimated that the haul, which included fake Armani jackets, Jimmy Choo shoes and Gucci watches, had a street value of about £200,000. Officers arrested two men in connection with the fakes. They have been released on bail until February. ENFIELD ADVERTISER 08/01/2009 United Kingdom

Rip-off trader faces jail A trader was caught with more than £4,000 fake designer clothes items in SIX separate raids on his stores. Navid Salim, of Bury Old Road, Salford, pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit goods after swoops on his shops. The clothes would have sold for £100,000 if they had been genuine and Salim, 40, could now face jail. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS (SERIES) 08/01/2009 United Kingdom

Probe into cash mum made from selling fake gear A North-East mum who was caught with £11,000 of counterfeit clothing is again under investigation. Specialist accountants have been drafted in to find out how much money Fiona Begg made by selling the goods on eBay. A proceeds of crime action to recoup cash has been launched against her. Forensic accountants from Edinburgh have been asked to draw up a report on money made from Beggs’ eBay account. ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 09/01/2009 United Kingdom ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 10/01/2009 United Kingdom

Fined for selling counterfeit vodka Two Slough off-licensees have been fined for selling counterfeit vodka. Trading standards officials say Pal Singh Arora and Asif Ali Khan had 70 bottles of the fake spirits on their shelves. Mr Arora, of Metro Food and Wine in Farnham Road, pleaded guilty to four offences under the Trade Mark Act and Trade Descriptions Act and was fined £600 with £615 costs. SLOUGH EXPRESS SERIES 09/01/2009 United Kingdom

Warning over dangerous fake hair straighteners Potentially dangerous fake hair straighteners are being flogged around the borough. The counterfeit tongs look like GHD’s Hot Pink Irons, a limited edition product sold in October 2008 to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Black GHD irons are also known to have been counterfeited. The look- alikes are being offered for between £60 and £100, while the genuine articles retail for £100 to £155. MANCHESTER METRO NEWS (SERIES) 09/01/2009 United Kingdom

Got-Choo! Fake designer shoes and trainers with a street value of £2.3million have been seized by customs officers at Felixstowe docks. They were among thousands of counterfeit goods, including poisonous herbal remedies, which international crime gangs tried to smuggle through the Suffolk port. HM Customs revealed that among the contraband seized towards the end of last year were 318 cartons of counterfeit designer Jimmy Choo and Gucci-branded ladies shoes and boots which had arrived from China. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 10/01/2009 United Kingdom EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 12/01/2009 United Kingdom

Pirate Granny The mastermind behind an international racket in fake designer goods can today be revealed as a 60- year-old cleaner. Granny Elizabeth Warrender raked in £165,000 a year flogging rip-offs from the garage of her modest semi-detached home. She imported huge loads of counterfeit Prada and Versace gear from China and had them sent by TNT couriers. She was only rumbled when the firm’s drivers became suspicious at the size of the deliveries to her house. SCOTTISH SUNDAY MAIL 11/01/2009 United Kingdom

£2m fake shoe find Fake designer shoes worth £2.3million have been seized by customs, it was revealed yesterday. Thousands of Jimmy Choo, Gucci shoes and Nike trainers were found by officers at Britain’s biggest container port. The consignments from China were intended to be sold at markets and car boot sales. African herbal medicines with dangerous toxin levels were also seized in Felixstowe, Suffolk. SUN, THE 12/01/2009 United Kingdom

Warning to drinkers as counterfeit vodka found Drinkers are being warned that bottles of counterfeit vodka are currently in circulation in the county. Norfolk County Council trading standards officers have issued a warning that counterfeit Spar Imperial Vodka has been found in Norfolk. The counterfeit vodka was found in a non-Spar store in Norwich on Friday, January 9, following a call from a member of the public who had purchased a bottle. NORWICH EVENING NEWS 12/01/2009 United Kingdom

Hair iron alert Women are being urged to take care when straighteners are being sold across the north-west. Trading standards chiefs are warning that counterfeit copies of GHD ‘hot pink’ irons are on sale - and are warning they could have electrical faults which may start fire or cause electrocution. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 13/01/2009 United Kingdom

Stallholder could face prison term for selling fake designer ... Market trader David Leitch has been warned he could face up to 10 years in jail for selling fake designer sports gear at a city car boot sale. Leitch, 36, Lilac Road, Tiverton, has pleaded guilty to nine offences after being caught in an undercover sting by trading standards officers at Matford car boot sale in Marsh Barton, Exeter. EXETER EXPRESS & ECHO 13/01/2009 United Kingdom

Foaming at the mouth over fake toothpaste A disgruntled shopper has lambasted supermarket giant discovering the toothpaste she bought from the store was counterfeit. Tracey Dexter, 47, of Ayebridge Avenue, Egham, bought what she thought was a tube of her regular Colgate toothpaste from the shop in The Causeway, Staines, but had been getting sore throats since using it. SURREY HERALD & STAINES NEWS SERIES 14/01/2009 United Kingdom

Fake trader caught with 4,000 copies A trader was caught with more than 4,000 fake designer clothes items in six separate raids on his fashion stores. Navid Salim, 40, of Bury Old Road, Salford, pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court to selling counterfeit goods after trading standards officers swooped on his shops in Stockport and Barrow-in-Furness. The clothes would have sold for 100,000 if they had been genuine and Salim, 40, could now face jail. SALFORD ADVERTISER (INC. SALFORD CITY REPORTER) 15/01/2009 UK

Fake goods charge The sale of fake brand-name goods has cost one shop £2,7000. Pure Image Limited was fined a total of £2,200 and ordered to pay £506 court costs after trading standards officers found counterfeit goods on sale at its Taff Street store in Pontypridd. Items including a ‘Spongebob’ rucksack and Playboy socks, which break the Trade Marks Act, were seized and destroyed. SOUTH WALES ECHO (SERIES) 16/01/2009 United Kingdom

Illegal vodka rap for newsagent A Collier Row newsagent came ‘within a whisker’ of losing his licence after bottles of illegal and potentially lethal vodka were found on sale in his shop. On September 9 last year nine bottles of fake Spar branded Imperial vodka were found at the shop - only a month after councils across the country issued leaflet warnings to retailers about the toxic liquor. ROMFORD RECORDER (SERIES) 16/01/2009 United Kingdom ROMFORD & HAVERING WEEKLY POST 24/01/2009 United Kingdom

Stubbed Out Customs officers seized Wales’ biggest ever haul of fake cigarettes when they raided a ship docked in Cardiff. A total of 22 million counterfeit cigarettes worth £5m on the streets was discovered stashed among bed linen and towels when the unnamed, deep-sea cargo vessel arrived in the capital from Dubai. SOUTH WALES ECHO (SERIES) 17/01/2009 United Kingdom

Trader selling designer fakes Market trader David Leitch has given car boot sales a bad name by selling fake designer clothes in the city, Exeter Crown Court was told. Leitch, who had been trading a car boot sales including ones at Matford in Marsh Barton, and Westpoint, near Clyst St Mary, was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work in the community. EXETER EXPRESS & ECHO 17/01/2009 United Kingdom

1.5m-plus cigs seized More than 1.5m counterfeit cigarettes were seized at East Midlands Airport in the last six weeks of 2008. The cigarettes recovered by HM Revenue & Customs officers represented a duty loss to the Treasury of £316,000. A further 400kg in hand-rolling tobacco - representing a £55,000 loss in duty - was also seized. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 17/01/2009 United Kingdom

Charity handover sees ‘good come out of bad’ Counterfeit goods including compact discs, clothing and other goods seized by Powys County Council have been handed to a charity to be recycled or destroyed. The latest handover is to the Huntingdon based His Church charity, which works with Trading Standards Services across Britain turning seized counterfeit goods into humanitarian aid for those suffering from poverty in Eastern Europe and Africa. SOUTH SHROPSHIRE & MID-WALES JOURNAL SERIES 19/01/2009 United Kingdom

Fake drugs fear Chinese Triads are flooding Scotland with fake medicines, according to senior drugs cops. They warn that the counterfeit pills could be dangerous if taken. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 19/01/2009 United Kingdom

Fashion faux-pas A Stockport trader was caught with more than 4,000 fake designer clothes items in six separate raids on his stores. Navid Salim pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit goods after swoops on his shops. The clothes would have sold for £100,000 if they had been genuine and he could now face jail. STOCKPORT TIMES SERIES 22/01/2009 United Kingdom

Stores fined for selling fake vodka Four off-licences which sold potentially dangerous counterfeit vodka have been ordered to pay more than £6,000 after prosecutions by Islington Council. The councils trading standards team was alerted in August last year after a customer was sold a bottle of fake Spar Imperial vodka at an off-licence in Archway. ISLINGTON GAZETTE 22/01/2009 United Kingdom

£2,500 bill for fake sports goods trader A trader has admitted selling fake sports goods worth around £2,500 from a stall in the market. Mohammed Qasim, aged 23, of Mitchell Street, was handed a community order at Rochdale Magistrates Court after pleaded guilty to six charges relating to the sale of fake items. ROCHDALE OBSERVER (SATURDAY) 24/01/2009 United Kingdom

The dodgy doll Who’s not the real doctor Counterfeit Spiderman and Dr Who figures landed a wholesaler with a fine of more than £16,000. Trading Standards officers found replica Spiderman, Mr Incredibles and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at Roxmeade Ltd in Mouton Street, Cheetham Hill which the genuine manufacturers confirm were counterfeits. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 28/01/2009 United Kingdom

Firms warned about the risks of using counterfeit components The Component Obsolescence Group has published best-practice guidance to help companies up and down the supply chain avoid counterfeit electronic components. The message is that companies in the electronics supply chain should take the threat from counterfeit components seriously. ELECTRONICS WEEKLY 28/01/2009 United Kingdom

Chinese Fakeaway More than £60,000 of fake designer clothing destined for the regions black market has been seized. Trading Standards and police busted a shop in Newcastle’s West End and discovered an Aladdin’s cave of bogus goods, most of which are suspected to have been made in China. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 28/01/2009 United Kingdom

Shoe seller had fake trainers A woman was fined for possessing fake designer goods to sell at her business. Angela Thomson, 33, who was running a business in Bootle, was found by police with 40 pairs of counterfeit Hugo Boss trainers in her car. Appearing in court last Thursday, Thomson was fined and ordered to pay costs totalling £1,728. LIVERPOOL ECHO 29/01/2009 United Kingdom

£16,000 of fakes on market stall A market stall boss stocked fake clothing and training shoes which would have cheated manufacturers and legitimate traders out of £16,000, a court heard. DD Mens Wear, owned by David Dean, was raided twice by Trading Standards officers, who found counterfeit Nike trainers stashed in a roof void above the stall, and fake clothing at the back of it. LANCASHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 29/01/2009 United Kingdom

Game over for fake toys We all know Spiderman catches thieves just like flies, but it looks like he’s not too bad at helping to nab counterfeit firms either. The game was up for one Cheetham Hill company when trading standards officers raided their Moulton Street premises last November to find several suspicious Spidey toys. Bosses from Roxmeade Ltd were invited to a town hall interview to give their side of the story on two occasions, but didn’t bother to turn up. NORTH EAST MANCHESTER ADVERTISER 29/01/2009 United Kingdom

"Rip-off" trader has his van confiscated A man who was prosecuted for selling counterfeit clothing at markets in Powys has had the vehicle he traded in taken away from him, Powys County Council has announced. The councils Trading Standards Service has conducted its first Proceeds of Crime hearing against West Midlands-based counterfeiter Isran Khan. SOUTH SHROPSHIRE & MID-WALES JOURNAL SERIES 30/01/2009 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: December 2008

Seven scams of Christmas Harrow Council’s Trading Standards team is warning consumers this year to be aware of seven scams of Christmas. Bargain presents may not be all they seem. Protect yourself and your family with our safety tips. Brand goods at markets - If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Harrow was hit earlier this year by a UK smuggling ring that illegally imported fake Nike trainers from China. While sold for a bargain £25 a pair, you would be unlikely to run to the end of the street in these, never mind run a marathon, as they typically fell apart in weeks HARROW PEOPLE 01/12/2008 United Kingdom

UK electrical industry fights back Concern over the sale of counterfeit and non-compliant electrical goods prompted four major trade associations – BEAMA Installation, The Electrical Distributors Association, the Electrical Contractors Association and Select (The Scottish electrical contractors` association) - to issue an ‘Electrical Installation Industry Charter’ to combat the trade. ELECTRICAL WHOLESALER 01/12/2008 United Kingdom

Jailed computer ‘pirate’ cost industry £900,000 A conman has been convicted of selling fake computer software and console games in Wigan. The jailing of Steve Adams followed one of the biggest investigations into software piracy by Wigan Council Trading Standards. The 38-year-old lived a life of luxury at the centre of an empire based on the profits of illegal copies of the latest games and films. WIGAN OBSERVER 02/12/2008 United Kingdom

£250,000 fakes in raid on market More than £250,000 worth of fake trainers, sunglasses and clothes have been seized from stalls at a popular Walsall market. Four Transit-size van loads of counterfeit goods were retrieved from Bescot in a crackdown by investigators. The haul included around 1,000 pairs of Nike and Lacoste trainers, 100 pairs of designer sunglasses, sweatshirts, hoodies, jeans and T-shirts from top brands Adidas, Timberland and G-Star clothing. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 02/12/2008 United Kingdom EXPRESS & STAR CANNOCK (MID STAFFS) 02/12/2008 United Kingdom

Man jailed for selling fake designer clothes A man caught selling counterfeit clothing at a Chirk car boot sale has been jailed after committing the same offence at a Rhyl market while in bail. Last Tuesday, defendant Yasim Tariq, 49, a father of eight, was jailed for six months at Mold Crown Court after admitting two trademarks offences brought by Wrexham County Borough Council, eight charges brought by Cowy County Borough Council, with 136 similar offences taken into consideration. OSWESTRY & BORDER COUNTIES ADVERTIZER 02/12/2008 United Kingdom STOCKPORT EXPRESS 03/12/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit trader jailed Counterfeit tobacco and DVD trader has been given a prison sentence at Luton Magistrates Court. Der Ching Yang, 39, who lives in London, was jailed for 28 days for the possession for sale of 64 packets of fake Golden Virginia Tobacco. Yang was arrested in Luton in November after police officers spotted him selling DVDs and tobacco. LUTON NEWS 03/12/2008 United Kingdom

Goods seized A haul of fake designer goods worth £4,000 was seized by Trading Standards last weekend. Officers working undercover at North Weald Market seized a range of counterfeit goods including GHD hair straighteners Links of London jewellery, UGG boots and Jimmy Choo shoes. SOUTHEND EVENING ECHO 03/12/2008 United Kingdom CHELMSFORD YELLOW ADVERTISER 04/12/2008 United Kingdom ESSEX ENQUIRER 04/12/2008 United Kingdom PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353

‘He was warned about illegal conduct’ A dodgy South Harrow trader found with hundreds of phony designer clothes has been banned from markets across the country. Police found 726 items of clothing mocked up to look like genuine designers, like Dolce & Gabanna, Moschino and Lacoste, after searching the home of Adnel Avram, also known as Hagi, in January this year. HARROW TIMES 04/12/2008 United Kingdom

Trader had told ‘porky pies’ A rogue trader who peddled piles of fake designer clothes has been banned from every market in England and Wales. Adnel Avram, 30, was also slapped with a three-month suspended prison sentence, ordered to complete 150 hours of community service and fined more than 10,000. The stallholder, who also goes by the name of Hagi Avram, sold the counterfeit clothes at Wembley and Bovingdon markets, before being stung by Brent and Harrow Trading Standards. HARROW OBSERVER 04/12/2008 United Kingdom WILLESDEN LEADER 10/12/2008 United Kingdom HARROW LEADER 11/12/2008 United Kingdom

How to make sure you don’t get conned with a fake Nintendo Cut price killers could be under Christmas trees across the North East. Hundreds of potentially lethal games consoles have been seized. The bogus Nintendo DS and DS Lite machines were addressed to buyers in Tyneside, Northumberland and County Durham but were intercepted by customs officers at ports and airports across the UK NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE JOURNAL 05/12/2008 United Kingdom

Police warning over fake jackets Police are warning residents to be aware of counterfeit goods after a man was seen trying to sell fake Armani jackets in a car park in Leatherhead. SURREY ADVERTISER SERIES 05/12/2008 United Kingdom

Fake Nintendo alert Counterfeit Nintendo consoles given to children for Christmas could put their lives at risk, parents were warned today. Hundreds of fake computer consoles imported and seized at freight depots across the UK were found to have potentially dangerous power adaptors, HM Revenue & Customs said. READING EVENING POST 05/12/2008 United Kingdom NORTHERN ECHO (SERIES) 05/12/2008 United Kingdom GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 05/12/2008 UK DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 05/12/2008 United Kingdom BOLTON EVENING NEWS 05/12/2008 United Kingdom HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 05/12/2008 United Kingdom DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 05/12/2008 United Kingdom BOLTON EVENING NEWS 05/12/2008 United Kingdom READING EVENING POST 05/12/2008 United Kingdom DONCASTER STAR 12/12/2008 United Kingdom LEATHERHEAD ADVERTISER 18/12/2008 United Kingdom FOLKESTONE HERALD 18/12/2008 United Kingdom

Warning over fake consoles Bogus Nintendo consoles bought as Christmas presents could put children’s lives at risk, parents have been warned. Hundreds of the fake DS and DS Lites seized by Costums were found to have potentially dangerous power adaptors. Advertised as ‘genuine Nintendo’, they were bought from websites based mainly in Asia for around £40, instead of the usual £100. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 05/12/2008 United Kingdom GAINSBOROUGH TARGET 12/12/2008 United Kingdom BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 16/12/2008 United Kingdom

Moonshine Mogul netted £10million A chemist who used his expertise to set up a moonshine distillery which made him £10million has been sentenced to nine years in jail. Mridyul Das, who had worked for pharmaceutical giant Astra- Zeneca, churned out vodka and whisky from a warehouse. The 31-year-old set up his operation in Oldham, Greater Manchester, producing fake vodkas Royal Czar, Tamova and Glen’s. SUN, THE 05/12/2008 United Kingdom

Nike trainers - conman jailed A rogue trader who was caught with a huge haul of Nike trainers worth a whopping half a million pounds was yesterday caged for a year. Greedy Mark McLinthock, from Paisley, hoped to make a fortune by flogging the footwear through the eBay internet site. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 06/12/2008 United Kingdom GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 06/12/2008 United Kingdom HERALD, THE (GLASGOW) 06/12/2008 United Kingdom GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 06/12/2008 United Kingdom

Fake consoles are a real danger Fake computer games consoles and adaptors are potentially putting Christmas customers lives in danger, customs officials have warned. Bosses at revenues and Customs have warned East Lancashire parents who are tempted to buy the cheap counterfeits. LANCASHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 06/12/2008 United Kingdom

Clamping down on the fakers More than 18,000 items of counterfeit merchandise have been seized by Rochdale trading standards officers over the past year. A wide range of goods, including fake big-branded clothing and footwear handbags, perfume, jewellery as well as cigarettes, tobacco and vodka, have been taken off the black market. ROCHDALE OBSERVER (SATURDAY) 06/12/2008 United Kingdom

‘£8m fraud’ charges York trading standards officers are prosecuting four people over an alleged £8 million fraud involving fake jewellery. The four were charged as part of an investigation into sales of trade-marked jewellery in the city. Trading standards officers allege that the four are responsible for a warehouse that held 166,000 items, that if genuine, would have been worth £8 million. YORK EVENING PRESS 06/12/2008 United Kingdom

Game over? Dangerous counterfeit games consoles could be putting the lives of Lincolnshire bargain-hunters at risk. HM Revenue and Customs has seized hundreds of fake Nintendo DS and DS Lites, dozens of which were destined for the county. It says the consoles’ power adaptors, which have not been safety tested, could ‘put consumers’ lives in danger`. LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO (SERIES) 08/12/2008 United Kingdom

Bogus bags, fake jewels worth 3.6m seized Fake designer goods with an estimated street value of 3.6 million have been seized from a ship at Grangemouth, it was revealed today. UK Border Agency officers at the port discovered three containers from China packed with counterfeit handbags and jewellery. More than 14,000 items were recovered in the swoop, stopping them from entering the market place in the run-up to Christmas. DUNDEE EVENING TELEGRAPH 09/12/2008 United Kingdom ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 09/12/2008 United Kingdom HERALD, THE (GLASGOW) 10/12/2008 United Kingdom ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 10/12/2008 United Kingdom

In brief The county’s trading standards is urging customers to think twice if they are offered goods at prices that are too good to be true. At Christmas, many people are looking for bargains, but Surrey Trading Standards warns that many goods bought at markets are counterfeit and of poor quality, with many being potentially dangerous. WEYBRIDGE NEWS & MAIL 10/12/2008 United Kingdom

Kicked out of UK after role in clothes con A man living in Forest Gate has been kicked out of the country after police smashed a £500,000 counterfeit clothing scam. The 50-year-old was arrested at his home in Katherine Road after police discovered fake designer goods destined for Christmas buyers. They were stored at a container yard on an industrial estate in Rainham, Essex. NEWHAM RECORDER 10/12/2008 United Kingdom

Newsagent fined after selling fake condoms A newsagent has been fined for selling fake condoms in her Lower Clapton shop. Derba Heshinro, the owner of Lucky Newsagents in Chatsworth Road, appeared at Thames magistrates’ court on Wednesday last week. She was fined £100 and ordered to pay £265 costs after admitting offences under the Trades Mark Act. HACKNEY GAZETTE 11/12/2008 United Kingdom

Trader fined over jewellery A Dalston trader was fined £250 last week for selling silver jewellery that was fake or did not have a hallmark. Tuncer Tanriverdi, who has a stall in Ridley Road market, was ordered to pay another £250 in legal costs and £150 worth of stock was confiscated. The 32-year-old pleaded guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court to six charges of offering to supply silver jewellery without the mark and five charges of offering to supply counterfeit jewellery. HACKNEY GAZETTE 11/12/2008 United Kingdom

Fake trainer trader to pay back 125k A bogus trader has this week been ordered to pay back £125,000 he made selling fake goods. Michael Potter was caught after Nike investigators worked with Havering Trading Standards officers in a sting operation, London’s Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. EAST LONDON ENQUIRER 11/12/2008 United Kingdom

Fake toys warning from trading standards Surrey trading standards is urging Mole Valley residents to think twice before buying goods at prices that are too good to be true. The consumer watchdog said that the counterfeiters gear up for the Christmas rush just as legitimate retailers do, and will flood the market with copies of this year’s ‘must have’ toys. LEATHERHEAD ADVERTISER 11/12/2008 United Kingdom DORKING ADVERTISER 11/12/2008 United Kingdom

Pay-back time for fakes sales A minicab driver who was caught with 2,000 pairs of fake Nike trainers has been ordered to pay back £125,000. Michael Potter, 49, was snared after undercover Nike investigators launched a sting operation at a depot in Upminster, on April 21, 2006. ROMFORD RECORDER (SERIES) 12/12/2008 United Kingdom

Alert over fake goods Watch out for counterfeit goods at Christmas is the message from Rochdale trading standards officers. More than 18,000 items of counterfeit merchandise have been seized by Rochdale officers over the past year. A wide range of goods, including fake big brand clothing and footwear, handbags, perfume, jewellery as well as cigarettes, tobacco and vodka, have been taken off the black market. ROCHDALE EXPRESS 12/12/2008 United Kingdom

Beware of fake goods People are being warned to think twice before buying Christmas goods at prices too good to be true. Surrey Trading Standards is warning consumers after recent figures showed nearly a quarter of all toys on sale could be fake. The festive period leads to many looking for bargains but goods bought at markets can be counterfeit and of poor quality and often dangerous, according to trading standards officers. VILLAGER, THE (SLOUGH) 12/12/2008 United Kingdom PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353

Woman with faked designer gear avoids jail A woman caught with thousands of pounds of dodgy designer gear avoided jail this afternoon. North- east mum Fiona Begg was ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work after admitting having fake top brand clothes and accessories. Peterhead Sheriff Court heard that the qualified nurse had been facing jail. ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 12/12/2008 United Kingdom

Cigarettes and alcohol in fake hall of shame Alcohol, cigarette lighters and tobacco - not the kind of items you would usually expect to be counterfeit. But these are just a slice of the thousands of fake goods seized by Beds County Council’s Trading Standards team in recent months. Clothing, watches, perfume and toys - a number of which had been seized in Chronicle County - were some of the other counterfeit items on display at County Hall this week as part of the council’s crack-down on illegal trading. BIGGLESWADE CHRONICLE 12/12/2008 United Kingdom

Top cop: Buying fake goods funds organised crime Shoppers in Glasgow have been earned to steer clear of fake DVDs in the run-up to Christmas. The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency said money from fake goods was used by crime groups to fund activities such as human trafficking, firearms and illegal drugs. So far this year the Federation Against Copyright Theft has seized more than £115,000 counterfeit DVDs in Strathclyde with a street value of around £335,000. Other items often forged include sophisticated goods such as car or plane parts, electrical goods and pharmaceuticals. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 12/12/2008 United Kingdom eBay to pay Louis Vuitton £40 million Imitation is not often the flattery it claims to be as online auctioneer eBay discovered. Accused of selling fake Louis Vuitton handbags and leather goods, the retailer was slapped with a damages bill of £40 million. Ouch! IRISH EXAMINER, THE (EIRE) 13/12/2008 Ireland

Chinese burn Ruthless Chinese triads are using illegal immigrants to produce fake fags in the UK. And, as the credit crunch bites and people look to save money, the gangs are upping production in a bid to cash in. The cigarettes are filled with various killer toxins including 60% more tar and 130% more carbon monoxide. They also contain rat droppings and arsenic. DAILY STAR - SUNDAY 14/12/2008 United Kingdom

Dangers of shoddy goods Trading Standards officials have issued their starkest warning yet about the dangers of buying fake goods this Christmas. Officers say criminal gangs have flooded Britain’s festive market with counterfeit alcohol, cigarettes, clothes and electrical products. Many are up to 80 per cent cheaper than genuine products or brands. WESTERN DAILY PRESS (SERIES) 15/12/2008 United Kingdom

Advice on toys for shoppers Families in the Wellington area have been urged not to compromise children’s safety as they seek to save money this Christmas. Christmas shoppers have been advised not to buy counterfeit toys, which may not comply with toy safety standards. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has also come up with tips for people planning to give knocked-down presents this year. WELLINGTON WEEKLY NEWS 17/12/2008 United Kingdom

Community service for trader who sold fakes A judge told a market trader who admitted selling counterfeit clothing that he was not only undermining public confidence, but giving other market traders in the region a bad name. Judge Dafydd Hughes, sitting at Mold Crown Court, warned Mohammed Afzal, 36, a father of three, caught selling fake designer clothing at Prestatyn market, that he could easily have been imprisoned immediately. WREXHAM EVENING LEADER (SERIES) 17/12/2008 United Kingdom

Raids net fake items at market Fake perfume, shoes and watches were among the items seized by Northamptonshire County Council in three raids against counterfeit sales. In the first operation last month, officers from the council’s trading standards department, acting on a tip-off, swooped on an out-of-country market trader who was running a stall on the Market Square in Northampton. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 18/12/2008 United Kingdom

Consoles alert Christmas shoppers are being asked to stay alert for potentially dangerous fake games consoles. This is after HM Revenue and Customs recently seized hundreds of imported counterfeit games players supplied with dangerous power adaptors. LEATHERHEAD ADVERTISER 18/12/2008 United Kingdom

Fake goods seized Counterfeit goods have been seized in a series of operations by trading standards officers. The county trading standards service carried out a test purchase on a small independent retailer in Wellingborough and seized counterfeit clothing and trainers from the store. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 18/12/2008 United Kingdom

Warning as fakes are seized Fake designer footwear, handbags and watches worth thousands of pounds were seized as police and trading standards officers raided a home. The operation, a joint initiative by Sussex Police and Brighton and Hove trading standards, uncovered fake Tiffany jewellery, 12 Gucci handbags, four Rolex watches and 100 pairs of counterfeit Ugg boots. BRIGHTON ARGUS 19/12/2008 United Kingdom eBay condemns shamed wife of former PC Fiona Begg was arrested after a two-year trading standards investigation, the biggest of this kind carried out in Aberdeenshire. Consumer protection officers raided her home at Stuartfield, near Mintlaw, and uncovered a haul of jeans, shirts and jackets falsely labelled with brand names such as Diesel, Burberry, Prada, Armani, Lacoste, Dolce and Gabanna, Timberland and Henri Lloyd. ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 19/12/2008 United Kingdom

£21,700 profits from selling fake designer gear A man who sold counterfeit designer gear at an open air market stall in Newtown made an illegal profit of £21,700, Mold Crown Court was told last Thursday. A judge rejected claims by Isran Khan that he did not have a half share in his sister’s house and adjourned a financial hearing under The Proceeds of Crime Act for the house to be valued. POWYS COUNTY TIMES & EXPRESS SERIES 19/12/2008 United Kingdom

Praise for some real action on fake gear Most people would admit to having at least one fake designer item in their wardrobe. Whether it’s a quality copy of a Prada bag bought on holiday or a fake YSL shirt bought at a market stall - not many of us would turn down a bargain. But those behind the £10 billion UK counterfeit industry could face jail if they are caught with dodgy goods. ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 19/12/2008 United Kingdom

Crash cop’s wife dodges jail over £11k eBay fakes A policeman’s wife caught selling fake designer clothes on eBay escaped a jail sentence yesterday. Fiona Begg, 46, was nabbed with a £11,000 of bogus jackets, jeans and shirts after a sting by consumer watchdogs. And when she admitted selling the fakes at an earlier hearing, she was warned she faced being put behind bars. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 19/12/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit seizure A Christmas crackdown by Kent Trading Standards officers led to the seizure of more than 2,000 potentially dangerous toys. They formed part of a larger haul of nearly 4,500 counterfeit items that also included clothing and footwear. KENT ON SUNDAY 21/12/2008 United Kingdom

Fake hair irons could be killers Counterfeit hair straighteners being sold at knockdown prices around Liverpool could cause fatal injuries. The fake irons are made to look like the market-leading GHD brand, which retail for between £100 and £140. Trading Standards officers today warned the poor quality of the equipment’s electrics could cause electrocutions. LIVERPOOL ECHO 23/12/2008 United Kingdom

Alert over dangerous of ‘bent’ hair straighteners Some girls won’t leave home without them - but shoppers in Mersey are being warned not to buy potentially dangerous fake designer hair straighteners. Consumer watchdogs at Liverpool City Council and Halton Borough Council are advising last-minute shoppers to avoid the counterfeit versions of top- rated ghd brand straighteners. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (ENGLISH EDITION) 23/12/2008 United Kingdom

Four held in drug and fake cigarette crackdown Cannabis and fake cigarettes worth thousands of pounds have been seized and four people arrested as part of a purge to smash counterfeit tobacco rings linked to organised crime. Operation Apus, involving trading standards and customs officers and police, has been targeting addresses across Yorkshire suspected of taking deliveries of big shipments of counterfeit cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 24/12/2008 United Kingdom

Fakes warning on toothpaste Thousands of tubes of fake Colgate toothpaste sold between November 28 and December 5 have been recalled by Sainsbury`s and Boots. It was labelled Colgate Cavity Protection and came in 100ml tubes. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 24/12/2008 United Kingdom

Choc horror at Ferreros Ten tons of fake Ferrero Rocher chocolates, which would have left a bad taste with the sophisticated party set, have been seized by French customs officials. Nearly 33,000 boxes of gold-foil-wrapped sweets were impounded at an international market outside Paris. EXPRESS & STAR CANNOCK (MID STAFFS) 24/12/2008 United Kingdom

No confidence Thousands of tubes of fake Colgate toothpaste have been recalled by two major retailers. Sainsbury’s and Boots were duped into selling the counterfeit between Nov 28 - Dec 5. It was labelled Colgate Cavity Protection, in 100ml tubes. The supermarket wrote to 17,000 customers. DONCASTER STAR 26/12/2008 United Kingdom SHEFFIELD STAR 26/12/2008 United Kingdom

Fake hair irons could kill you, say watchdogs Fake designer hair straighteners on sale in the north west could kill, consumer watchdogs are warning. The irons are counterfeit versions of the top-rated ghd brand’s Hot Pink styles, a special limited edition which was sold in October this year to promote Breast Cancer Awareness month. Traditional black ghd stylers are also known to have been faked. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS (SERIES) 27/12/2008 United Kingdom

Three arrested over counterfeit tobacco Three people from the city have been arrested following a regional crackdown on counterfeit tobacco. Operation Apus, involving police, trading standards and HM Revenue and Customs, held a day of action across Yorkshire and the Humber. Officers recovered 10,000 counterfeit cigarettes from an address in west Hull and discovered a large number of unclassified DVDs. HULL DAILY MAIL (SERIES) 27/12/2008 United Kingdom

Internet fakes scam puts man in prison A Rochdale couple have admitted charges relating to the possession of £300,000 of counterfeit clothing and money laundering. The pair, of Eastbourne Street, Freehold, were sentenced at Bolton Crown Court. Mahmood Sultan, were selling counterfeit goods using various trading names on the internet auction site eBay. ROCHDALE OBSERVER (WEDNESDAY) 31/12/2008 United Kingdom

Safety warning over fake straighteners A warning has gone out to Halton shoppers following a flood of fake designer hair straighteners into the North West market. Halton consumer protection staff fear that counterfeit limited edition GHD brand Hot Pink irons will end up on sale in the borough. RUNCORN & WIDNES WEEKLY NEWS (SERIES) 31/12/2008 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: November 2008

Fake pesticides on the rise A report released on September 17th by the European Crop Protection Association shows that fake pesticides are now increasingly present in most European countries. These illegally-traded pesticides are completely untested and commonly contain toxic elements that pose significant threats to farmers, consumers and the environment. PRODUCT & IMAGE SECURITY 01/11/2008 United Kingdom

Business welcomes new EU Observatory to fight counterfeiting ... Business leaders from Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP), an initiative of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), have welcomed news that the European Council has established a European Observatory on Counterfeiting. PRODUCT & IMAGE SECURITY 01/11/2008 United Kingdom

Oh my GHD! Counterfeit straighteners Consumers are being warned that their money could end up burning more than a hole in their pocket if they spend it on a set of fake hair straighteners. Lancashire County Council Trading Standards Service is warning consumers to steer away from two particular websites selling fake GHD hair products. MORECAMBE VISITOR 19/11/08

Fears over vodka that could make you ‘blind’ drunk More than 100 bottles of fake vodka dangerous enough to cause blindness have been seized by Enfield Council. Several swoops by the authority’s Food Safety Team discovered 46 bottles of Spar Brand Imperial Vodka - which could contain high levels of methanol that can cause blindness - and 85 bottles of Glen’s vodka. ENFIELD ADVERTISER 19/11/2008 United Kingdom ENFIELD GAZETTE 20/11/2008 United Kingdom

Scambusters declare war War has been declared on dodgy dealing in York with a crack-down on the city’s rogue traders, ‘scammers’ and counterfeiters. The Scambusters team, headed by David Short, a former chief superintendent with North Yorkshire Police, has been gradually growing since October and the scheme has now being officially launched by City of York Council. YORK STAR 20/11/2008 United Kingdom

Concern as fake vodka hits shops Christmas revellers are being warned not to buy cheap alcohol as new cases of potentially harmful counterfeit vodka were discovered in police raids across Lancashire. The counterfeit booze can contain methanol - an industrial alcohol, which can have serious health implications. BURNLEY CITIZEN 20/11/2008 United Kingdom BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 25/11/2008 United Kingdom

Officers reveal the top 10 fakes of Christmas Trading Standards officers in Dorset are using the current National Consumer Week to warn online shoppers about being vigilant when looking for Christmas gifts. Investigations into internet sales via online auctions and similar sites have highlighted a range of counterfeit goods that consumers should be aware of. DORSET ECHO 21/11/2008 United Kingdom

Crackdown targets counterfeit gangs Organised gangs of criminals are being targeted in a crackdown on dodgy goods flooding Lincolnshire. The blitz on counterfeit products has left police with a haul of tens of thousands of fake items such as DVDs and clothing. And, although most fakes were sold in car boot sales and market stalls, criminal gangs are behind the distribution of most products. GAINSBOROUGH TARGET 21/11/2008 United Kingdom

Teenager ran global fake goods empire A schoolboy ran a global fake goods empire from the attic bedroom of his parents’ home, a court heard. Faried Patel imported counterfeit computer games, clothes and jewellery worth up to 500,000, then sold them on Internet auction site eBay. He recruited his father; Umer Patel, whose bank account he used to launder money, and also cut his cousin in the deal. BOLTON EVENING NEWS 25/11/2008 United Kingdom

Woman ‘linked with criminal fraternity’ A woman caught with thousands of pounds of dodgy designer clothes could have been part of a wider criminal fraternity, it was revealed today. Fiona Begg may have bought the garments from distributors of counterfeit goods working throughout the country. As revealed in later editions of yesterday’s Evening Express, the 46-year-old admitted having clothes and accessories falsely labelled with brand names such as Diesel, Burberry, Prada, Armani and Lacoste. ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS (SERIES) 26/11/2008 United Kingdom

Warning over fake goods Consumers are being warned to steer away from websites selling fake GHD hair products. The websites are www.gohairline.com and www.gohaironline.com. Both appear to offer genuine GHD branded hair straighteners at reduced prices. However, Lancashire County Council Trading Standards has received two complaints from consumers where hair straighteners purchased from the websites were found to be counterfeit. LONGRIDGE NEWS 26/11/2008 United Kingdom

Same offence committed while man on bail A man caught selling counterfeit designer label clothing at a Sunday market in Chirk was later caught doing the same thing while on bail. Yasim Tariq, 49, a father of eight, was jailed for six months at Mold Crown Court, after he admitted two trademarks offences brought by Wrexham Council and eight charges brought by Conwy Council, with 136 similar offences taken into consideration. WREXHAM EVENING LEADER (SERIES) 26/11/2008 United Kingdom

Cop’s wife flogs fakes on eBay A policeman’s wife has been caught flogging thousands of pounds worth of fake designer clothes on eBay. Watchdogs who raided Fiona Beggs’ home found £11,000 worth of dodgy gear. She now faces a possible jail sentence. Trading standards officers spent more than two years investigating mum-of- four Beggs’ dealings on the auction website. Undercover investigators bought clothes from her and had them checked by the firms who make the real versions. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 27/11/2008 United Kingdom

Fake clothes scam foiled An international fake clothing ring was smashed by police in Rainham - but the crook behind it is on the run. A storage unit packed with counterfeit sports clothes and fashion-wear to the value of 500,000 was uncovered at a container yard in the Denver Industrial Estate, Ferry Lane. The clothes were destined to be sold during the busy Christmas period. ROMFORD RECORDER (SERIES) 28/11/2008 United Kingdom

Rangers team up with Nintendo to halt T-shirt sales Rangers have joined forces with computer games giant Nintendo to threaten legal action against fans who have stolen their logos. Supporters are cashing in on the Nintendo console’s worldwide success by producing T-shirts bearing the slogan ‘Wii Are The People.’ GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 29/11/2008 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: October 2008 Counterfeit goods A judge has warned that trading in counterfeit goods is an extremely serious matter and will not be tolerated. But a man arrested on his way to a North Wales market with counterfeit Nike training shoes has escaped prison sentence. Ranbar Sujan from Wolverhampton was said to have bought the 24 pairs of shoes and was planning to sell them at Tir Price in Towyn to make a profit to help his ailing shop. DENBIGSHIRE VISITOR 01/10/2008 United Kingdom NORTH WALES WEEKLY NEWS (SERIES) 02/10/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit trader must pay £2,000 A shopkeeper who sold a hoard of illegal lighters, condoms and DVDs has been fined more than £2,000. Mahalingam Santheepan, who owns Malar Supermarket, in Wembley High Road, pleaded guilty to seven offences under the trademarks and video recordings act, after selling the goods to undercover officers from Brent and Harrow Trading Standards. He was first visited by officials in October 2007 and was warned about selling illegal goods. WEMBLEY OBSERVER 02/10/2008 United Kingdom

Fake eBay goods land man with two-year ban A man who sold fake designer jewellery on eBay has been banned from using the website for two years. Bryan Mottram, 33, from Gwynedd, was also ordered to pay more than £2,000 costs and given a four-month suspended jail sentence after using the auction site to sell counterfeit Gucci and Tiffany & Co jewellery. Magistrates imposed a four month custodial sentence, suspended for two years, and banned Mottram, who now lives in Persac in France, from buying or selling items on eBay for two years. NORTH WALES WEEKLY NEWS (SERIES) 09/10/2008 United Kingdom

Police warning to shoppers over fake goods Police are warning shoppers to be on their guard after a Towyn trader was prosecuted for selling counterfeit goods in the town. Rambir Singh Sujan was sentenced at Mold Crown Court on September 25 after being rumbled for selling fake products at Tir Prince Market on Towyn Road. NORTH WALES WEEKLY NEWS (SERIES) 09/10/2008 United Kingdom

Seizure of fake scent More than 40,000 bottles of suspected fake designer perfume with a retail value of £750,000 have been seized by trading standards. The seizure, made on Thursday at a premise in Middlemore Road, Handsworth, included top brand names. Officers also discovered paraphernalia needed to produce counterfeit branded perfume on an industrial scale. EXPRESS & STAR CANNOCK (MID STAFFS) 20/10/2008 United Kingdom

Council seizes £40,000 worth of stolen goods Over £40,000 of suspected fake goods have been seized by Hampshire CC Trading Standards and police in an operation to target the sale of illegal copies of branded and designer gear at markets. More than 40 officers from Trading Standards, Hampshire Constabulary and the UK Border Agency, raided eight stalls at Blackbushe Market on Sunday 21 September, with support from Hampshire CC’s Accredited Community Safety Officers (ACSOs) and industry representatives, to help identify any possible fakes from the genuine articles. ALTON GAZETTE/ALRESFORD ADVERTISER (SERIES) 20/10/2008 United Kingdom

Market raided over counterfeit goods A market has been raided during a counterfeit goods sting in which 1,000 items were seized, writes Kelly-Ann Kiernan. Trading Standards officers arrived at Hatfield Market shortly after noon on Wednesday and spent four hours bagging up clothes. Many well known brands including Nike, Adidas, Diesel, Timberland, Armani and Ralph Lauren were taken away for further investigation WELWYN & HATFIELD TIMES 22/10/2008 United Kingdom

Fakes seized at Sunday market Trading standards officers and police have seized £60,000 worth of counterfeit goods from traders at Morecambe’s Sunday market. Officers attended the market on two consecutive weekends in a joint operation after complaints from local residents and seized items including counterfeit T-shirts, sweatshirts and tracksuits in various brands, including Lacoste and Fred Perry, and more than 2,300 copied DVDs including new titles such as Wanted and August. MORECAMBE VISITOR 22/10/2008 United Kingdom

Crackdown on pedlars Politicians are pushing for a new law to stamp out illegal street trading. Council bosses and MPs are concerned people are being ripped off by rogue pedlars selling counterfeit or dangerous goods on the streets. They are concerned the issue is such a problem in Brighton and Hove they are now calling for the power to seize the traders’ goods. Pedlars are different to street traders in they not usually need a licence to sell on the street. BRIGHTON & HOVE LEADER (SERIES) 23/10/2008 United Kingdom

Fake bags A Queensway trader has pleaded guilty of trying to con customers into buying more than 200 fake bags. Trading officers from Westminster Council raided Boutiques in Queensway in February after a customer tip-off, and found Ahmad Samin with a stock of 219 allegedly ‘designer’ bags and accessories. WEST END EXTRA 24/10/2008 United Kingdom

Three-year discharge for fake games mum A mother of three who bought more than £3,000-worth of counterfeit computer games and children’s toys to sell through an Internet auction site has been given a three-year conditional discharge. Michelle Louise Hallworth, 25, of Newstead Road, Weymouth was also ordered to pay £660 prosecution costs after admitting charges of selling a counterfeit computer game cartridge through eBay and processing falsely-branded goods with intent to sell and make a gain. DORSET ECHO 24/10/2008 United Kingdom

Market bosses: ‘Justice after three-year battle’ Two directors of Bovingdon Market have been cleared of money laundering after a marathon three- year legal battle. Sally Ann Ward, 45, of Woodland Road, Rickmansworth, and her brother Nicholas Giles Hobday, 49, of Blisworth, Northamptonshire, were convicted at St Albans Crown Court in July 2007 of two counts of money laundering - nearly two years after they were first arrested. The Crown had argued that the pair, directors of Wendy Fair Markets Ltd, had turned a blind eye to counterfeit goods being sold at the site. WATFORD OBSERVER 24/10/2008 United Kingdom

Smoked out: Van Diesel... A woman selling fake toys was caught out after packaging misspelled action hero Vin Diesel as Van Diesel. The standard of toys was so bad that Internet customers buying Spider-Man, Stars Wars and Dr Who figures soon racked up a huge list of complaints. Single mum-of-three Michelle Hallworth, 25, spent more than £3,000 on hundreds of fake action dolls and computer games with plans to double her money. SUN, THE 25/10/2008 United Kingdom

Council bags 16,974 fakes A man who sold fake designer bags with a street value of more than 1 million has been jailed for three years. Yong Niu Wang (also known as Eric), 32, from Islington, pleaded guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court on October 6 to five counts contrary to the Trade Marks Act 1994. The court heard that Wang was trading from Centre Bags Ltd at 65a Vyner Street, Bethnal Green, in 2003 when Tower Hamlets Council’s Trading Standards team swooped on the premises and confiscated 16,974 bags, identical to or likely to be mistaken for registered trademarks. EAST END LIFE 26/10/2008 United Kingdom PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353

Shirt scam undone Selling counterfeit polo shirts on eBay has cost an Ammanford man more than £1,000 after he was caught out by Carmarthenshire trading standards officers. Duncan James Andrews pleaded guilty at Ammanford Magistrates Court to an offence under the Trademarks Act. The court was told that Andrews was discovered selling counterfeit Lacoste shirts by trading standards officers who were monitoring sales on the Internet auction site eBay. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST (SERIES) 29/10/2008 United Kingdom

Trading standard cross-city success Action by trading standards officers in Swansea has helped snare a rogue trader 160 miles away. A trader who sold fake Hulk shoes has been hit with a £1,5000 fine. Parminder Singh Dhandwar, of Slough-based Beta Shoes, admitted two offences under the Trade Descriptions Act and Trade Marks Act of selling counterfeit goods. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST (SERIES) 29/10/2008 United Kingdom

Trader is fined for selling fake designer bags A shopkeeper from Edgware has admitted selling his customers hundreds of fake designer handbags. Ahmad Samin, 34, of Kings Drive, Edgware. Trading standards officers raided his boutique in Bayswater, West London. Officials acting on a tip-off found his store crammed with 219 counterfeit bags and accessories from some of the biggest names in fashion. POTTERS BAR & BOREHAMWOOD PRESS 30/10/2008 United Kingdom

Four million fake cigarettes seized More than four million counterfeit cigarettes have been seized after they were found concealed in a consignment of fireworks which came through Felixstowe. UK Border Agency (UKBA) officers made the discovery after examining the containers, each of which was also packed with four tonnes of fireworks. Some of the cigarettes were hidden in the outer cartons and others in boxes described as fireworks in an attempt to disguise them. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 31/10/2008 United Kingdom

Bogus trader hit with £296k fine They are the most expensive T-shirts a clothing conman has ever sold - because they have left him having to pay back almost £300,000 or face prison. Pirate trader Mohammed Amir Ismail’s dealings in dodgy designer labels helped his family buy a string of houses while he hid his illegal wealth from the taxman. But his scam came crashing down when he sold three T-shirts to trading standards officials in York’s Newgate Market, and he now has six months to repay money he pocked through his rogue trading. YORK EVENING PRESS 31/10/2008 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: September 2008

Over the summer there were numerous reports of fake vodka on sale throughout the UK. The Food Standards Agency has warned the public to be on their guard against bottles of counterfeit vodka that could contain high levels of harmful chemicals. The bottles are identified as Imperial Vodka, 70cl, Specially Selected by Spar, Pure and Smooth, Triple Distilled. The fake product is in a Quinn Glass bottle, while the genuine SPAR-brand Imperial Vodka is in Rockware Glass bottles. Anybody drinking the counterfeit vodka could suffer methanol poisoning, leading to dizziness, severe abdominal pain, blurred vision or blindness, or a coma, if consumed in large quantities. Shoppers are reassured that, so far, the vodka has not been found on sale in SPAR stores, only in independent off-licences and retail outlets, markets and car boot sales.

Sources for some of the main stories are listed here:

WALTHAM FOREST YELLOW ADVERTISER 03/09/2008 UK - UTTOXETER ADVERTISER 03/09/2008 UK - NEWQUAY VOICE 03/09/2008 UK - SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO (SERIES) 03/09/2008 UK - BANGOR & ANGLESEY MAIL 03/09/2008 UK - SOUTH WALES EVENING POST (SERIES) 03/09/2008 UK - BIRKENHEAD NEWS 03/09/2008 UK PULMAN’S WEEKLY NEWS 03/09/2008 UK - BUCKS HERALD 03/09/2008 UK - BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 03/09/2008 UK - HOLYHEAD & ANGLESEY MAIL 03/09/2008 UK - ST AUSTELL VOICE 03/09/2008 UK - TOTTENHAM & WOOD GREEN ADVERTISER 03/09/2008 UK - REDBRIDGE YELLOW ADVERTISER 04/09/2008 UK STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) 04/09/2008 UK - SOMERSET COUNTY GAZETTE 04/09/2008 UK - WHARF 04/09/2008 UK - WALTHAM FOREST GUARDIAN 04/09/2008 UK - BLACKPOOL CITIZEN (SERIES) 04/09/2008 - BASINGSTOKE OBSERVER 04/09/2008 UK - DORKING ADVERTISER 04/09/2008 UK - EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 04/09/2008 UK - CHESTER & DISTRICT STANDARD 04/09/2008 UK - EPSOM GUARDIAN 04/09/2008 UK - EXMOUTH JOURNAL 04/09/2008 UK - ABERGAVENNY CHRONICLE 04/09/2008 UK - ROMSEY ADVERTISER 05/09/2008 UK - WOKING INFORMER 05/09/2008 UK - ALTON HERALD 05/09/2008 UK - ST IVES TIMES & ECHO 05/09/2008 UK - ALTON GAZETTE 08/09/2008 UK - EAST END LIFE 08/09/2008 UK - ANDOVER AVON ADVERTISER (MIDWEEK EDITION) 10/09/2008 UK - MIDWEEK CHRONICLE (CHESTER) 10/09/2008 UK - NEATH GUARDIAN - BRIDGEWATER STAR 11/09/2008 UK - EXMOUTH HERALD 12/09/2008 U K - MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS (SERIES) 12/09/2008 UK - ALDERSHOT NEWS 05/09/2008 UK - BASINGSTOKE EXTRA 17/09/2008 UK - WREXHAM LEADER 17/09/2008 UK - SOUTH SHROPSHIRE & MID- WALES JOURNAL SERIES 19/09/2008 UK - KILBURN TIMES - ROMFORD & HAVERING WEEKLY POST 26/09/2008 UK - ENFIELD INDEPENDENT & ENFIELD ADVERTISER 13/08/2008 & ENFIELD GAZETTE 14/08/2008- ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 23/08/2008 UK - BRIGHTON ARGUS 23/08/2008 UK - LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (ENGLISH EDITION) 23/08/2008 UK - HERALD (GLASGOW) 23/08/2008 & GLASGOW EVENING TIMES UK - YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 23/08/2008 & 27/08/2008 UK - DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH (FIRST EDITION) 23/08/2008 UK - EXETER EXPRESS & ECHO 23/08/2008 UK - DORSET ECHO 25/08/2008 UK - IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 23/08/2008 UK - NORWICH EVENING NEWS 25/08/2008 UK - LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (WELSH EDITION) 23/08/08 & 25/08/2008 & 28/08/2008 UK - COLCHESTER EVENING GAZETTE 26/08/2008 UK - EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 27/08/2008 UK - LIVERPOOL ECHO 27/08/2008 UK - ELY STANDARD 28/08/2008 UK - LEIGH, TYLDESLEY & ATHERTON JOURNAL 28/08/2008 UK - EAST LONDON ENQUIRER 28/08/2008 UK - GLOUCESTER NEWS 28/08/2008 UK - BASILDON YELLOW ADVERTISER 28/08/2008 UK - NORTH WALES CHRONICLE 28/08/2008 UK - MERTHYR EXPRESS 28/08/2008 UK - TOTTENHAM & WOOD GREEN JOURNAL 28/08/2008 UK - HERTFORDSHIRE & LEA VALLEY STAR SERIES 29/08/2008 UK - NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 29/08/2008 UK - WATFORD OBSERVER 29/08/2008 UK - STAINES INFORMER 29/08/2008 UK - CHESTER EVENING LEADER 29/08/2008 UK - EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 29/08/2008 UK - DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 30/08/2008 UK - BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 29/08/2008 UK - KENT ON SUNDAY 31/08/2008 UK - LUTON ON SUNDAY 31/08/2008 UK

Mission: Brand Protection Original or counterfeit? This question isn’t just gaining frequency with brand name textiles and perfumes. These days, counterfeiters are copying everything that’s good and not particularly cheap. Hidden safety features on packaging as well as the products themselves, can expose counterfeits. Here, efficient print technology plays a prominent and important role. INTERNATIONAL PAPER BOARD INDUSTRY 01/09/2008 United Kingdom

Spectroscopy Focus The menace of counterfeit drugs is no longer a possibility; it is with us now and growing at a phenomenal rate, according to organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and The Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). WHO, for example, estimates that ‘on average 10% of the world’s drug supply is considered counterfeit, adulterated or otherwise fraudulent, although in some developing countries it could be as high as 33%.’ LABMATE UK & IRELAND 01/09/2008 United Kingdom

Internet fraudster spared jail A fraudster, who made thousands of pounds profit selling fake computer disks over the Internet, is today a free woman after she was spared jail. Valerie Lindsey, 58, was left crying with relief after she escaped a spell in prison and was instead ordered to do unpaid work in the community after pleading guilty to 24 counts of infringing copyright laws and applying false trademarks. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 02/09/2008 United Kingdom

Fake designer goods bring £1500 bill A Belfield man was spared jail after he admitted selling fake designer socks and underwear on Rochdale Market. Mohammed Zahid, of Croxton Avenue, was sentenced to 100 hours unpaid work to be completed within the next 12 months and also ordered to pay £1500 costs for selling counterfeit goods. The 47-year-old pleaded guilty to 13 counts of offering for sale goods bearing a false trademark when he appeared before Rochdale magistrates. ROCHDALE OBSERVER (WEDNESDAY) 03/09/2008 United Kingdom

Jailed counterfeiter forced to pay £12,000 from gains A market trader jailed for selling counterfeit goods has been ordered to pay back £12,000 made during his illegal enterprise. Gary Scrimshaw sold copies of films, chart-topping CDs, computer games and software at East Midland markets. He was sentenced to two years in prison in February after being caught with more than 11,500 pirate DVDs and CDs. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 03/09/2008 United Kingdom

Proton gun used to fight wine fraud One of Britain’s top wine merchants has joined forces with French nuclear scientists to develop a tool for unmasking counterfeit vintage wines. The technique consists of zapping bottles with beams of charged ions generated by a particle accelerator. DAILY TELEGRAPH 04/09/2008 United Kingdom

Toxic haul of coffee seized A lorry-load of potentially toxic counterfeit coffee was seized by trading standards officers. The haul, worth more than £34,000, was bound for Merseyside canteens, shops and restaurants. A police and city council team swooped as it headed for a warehouse in Kensington yesterday. After the seizure the supplier was arrested and the large, catering-size Nestle containers examined. LIVERPOOL ECHO 09/09/2008 United Kingdom

Search for fake meds The fight against fake medicines could soon be aided by a hand-held device designed with the help of Kingston University pharmacy researcher Dr Reem Kayyali. Counterfeit medicines often appear identical to the real thing but include cheap ingredients such as flour or cement, which can have a devastating impact on people taking them. SURREY COMET SERIES 10/09/2008 United Kingdom

Fake fags squad on the trail of Mr Bigs Criminals flooding Liverpool with counterfeit cigarettes and alcohol could be targeted by the UK’s first council-run enforcers. The city’s primary case has ear-marked 1.1m for Liverpool trading standards officers to tackle the organisers. LIVERPOOL ECHO 10/09/2008 United Kingdom PO Box 578 High Wycombe HP11 1YD T: +44 (0)1494 449165 F: +44 (0)1494 465052 E: [email protected] Registered Office: 3 Manor Courtyard, Hughenden Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 5RE Registered in England No 1984849 VAT Registration No GB 434 5353

Fined over internet fake razor scam A Stanmore resident caught selling counterfeit razors over the internet has been fined more than £4,500. Kevin Kirk Johns, 31, admitted selling the fake goods after police and trading standards raided his home in January, uncovering a stash of 140 packs of bogus razors as well as £11,000 worth of payments on his laptop. HARROW TIMES 11/09/2008 United Kingdom

Trader sold fake toys at funfair A surveillance operation by trading standards officers at last year’s Neath Fair has seen a stallholder convicted of 29 offences, Malik Aftab Hussain, who was caught selling counterfeit toys, pleaded guilty to 24 offences which breached the Trade Marks Act and five more which breached the Consumer Protection Act. SOUTH WALES EVENING POST (SERIES) 11/09/2008 United Kingdom

More than a close shave for faker A man selling fake razor blades over the internet has been fined £3,000. Kevin Kirk Johns, of Old Church Lane, Stanmore, pleaded guilty to selling the counterfeit products at Harrow Magistrates’ Court on September 3. Paypal, the online payment company used by Johns, showed he made more than £11,000 by selling the grooming products he had imported from China. HARROW OBSERVER 11/09/2008 United Kingdom

OAP caught selling fake Tiffany and Gucci gear A pensioner from Guildford has appeared in court after she was caught selling counterfeit jewellery at a trade fair. Sheila Groves, of Tannery Lane, Bramley, was caught with more than 10,000 of fake jewellery, including counterfeit Tiffany, Gucci and Bulgari items, at Epsom Racecourse on March 4 this year. The 67-year-old pleaded guilty to five counts of applying a false trademark to goods at East Surrey Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. SURREY ADVERTISER SERIES 12/09/2008 United Kingdom

Trader in fake case is spared An undercover investigation into a Cannock market trader found an ‘Aladdin’s cave’ full of fake designer clothing. A court heard how plain clothes officers posing as ‘custumers’ found around £23,000 worth of fake designer gear at Krishan Sharma’s large detached house. They also discovered £3,000 in cash but the 41-year-old’s declared income for tax purposes was just £7,000 a year. EXPRESS & STAR CANNOCK (MID STAFFS) 13/09/2008 United Kingdom

Tobacco sale ban on shop A Preston shop has been banned from selling tobacco after an employee was caught with ‘fake’ cigarettes. Abdul Mall, 40, admitted planning to sell packs of counterfeit Lambert & Butler cigarettes at Pound Plush in the St John`s centre. He also admitted having pouches of Golden Virginia tobacco which had to excise duty paid on them. LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 13/09/2008 United Kingdom

Woman sold fake footwear A woman who sold fake shoes at an Ipswich pub has appeared in court. Kim O’Hagan admitted she sold shoes, sandals and flip-flops which had false trademark labels including Chanel, Diesel and Christian Dior. O’Hagan, 49, of Dales Road, Ipswich, pleaded guilty at Ipswich Crown Court of four counts of selling goods likely to be mistaken for trademarks with a view to gain for herself. EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 15/09/2008 United Kingdom

Ebay calls on EU to probe sales curbs Ebay, the online auctioneer, has asked the European Union’s antitrust chief to investigate companies that prevent retailers or sellers from offering their goods on Ebay or other online commerce platforms. Tod Cohen, Ebay deputy general counsel, said he had raised concerns with Neelie Kroes over distributors of perfumes in France, sports goods in Spain, schoolbags in Germany and pushchairs in Britain, among others. FINANCIAL TIMES (UK & IRELAND EDITION) 18/09/2008 United Kingdom

Consumer warning over bent straighteners Consumers are being warned to be cautious after counterfeit electrical goods were discovered to be selling on internet auction sites. The warning has come from Powys council`s trading standards service which says it has been contacted by people who have bought counterfeit hair straighteners. BRECON & RADNOR EXPRESS & POWYS COUNTY TIMES (SERIES) 18/09/2008 UK

Counterfeit goods seized at car boot Four men have been arrested after police seized a massive hoard of counterfeit goods from a car boot sale in Bednall. The raid took place in August 31. At the site, officers picked up more than 13,000 counterfeit cigarettes and more than four kilograms of tobacco products as well as between 15,000 to 20,000 DVDs. CANNOCK CHASE POST 18/09/2008 United Kingdom

Store banned as fake fags sold A city centre discount shop has become the first outlet in Lancashire to be banned from selling tobacco after an employee was caught selling counterfeit cigarettes. Tradings standards officers caught Abdul Mall, 40, selling the potentially dangerous tobacco at the Pound Plush store in the St John`s Centre, Preston. PRESTON & LEYLAND CITIZEN 18/09/2008 United Kingdom

‘Blinding’ liquor grabbed in raid on fake labels More than 100 bottles of dangerous counterfeit vodka were seized by trading standards officers in Southall last week. Officials confiscated more than 100 bottles of fake Imperial Vodka on Wednesday across Southall as part of a borough-wide operation tackling the sale of fake-brand alcohol from shops. EALING & ACTON GAZETTE 19/09/2008 United Kingdom

Chain recalls hair styling irons over safety fears Superdrug yesterday recalled a batch of counterfeit hair styling irons over fears they may not meet minimum electrical safety standards. Anyone using the product risked serious injury and damage to property, a spokeswoman for the retailer said. YORKSHIRE POST (SERIES) 20/09/2008 United Kingdom

Product recall Pink hair styling irons labelled as ‘GHD’ which were sold in Superdrug stores between Sunday 3rd August and Wednesday 17th September 2008 are counterfeit and may breach minimum electrical safety standards and therefore risk serious injury and/or damage to property. Costumers are advised to immediately stop using this product and to return it to any Superdrug store with proof of purchase where they will receive a full refund. DAILY TELEGRAPH 20/09/2008 United Kingdom

Superdrug recalls hair styling irons amid safety fears Superdrug yesterday recalled a batch of counterfeit hair-styling irons over fears they may not meet minimum electrical safety standards. Anyone using the product risked serious injury and damage to property, a spokeswoman said. The counterfeit irons are pink and labelled ‘GHD’ with barcode 5060034524236. ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 20/09/2008 United Kingdom

Your guide to FAKE spotting One in every 50 pound coins is a fake - but that’s just the tip of the Iceberg with huge amounts of counterfeit stuff doing the rounds and costing the UK economy a whopping 11 billion a year. We told yesterday how 30 million dodgy pound coins are at a large. But there are plenty of other fakes to be wary of, from DVDs to watches, emails and cars. DAILY STAR 24/09/2008 United Kingdom

Street market faces fraud investigation Trading Standards inspectors are due to visit a Staines Market today (Wednesday) to investigate allegations that a stall is selling counterfeit branded toiletries. The team is taking action after costumer Ian Finlayson suffered scalp burns from using counterfeit Head & Shoulders shampoo bought from the stall, which operates on a Wednesday. SURREY HERALD & STAINES NEWS SERIES 24/09/2008 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: August 2008

Counterfeit drugs - the latest health scare? The menace of counterfeit drugs is no longer a possibility; it is with us now and growing at a phenomenal rate, according to organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and The Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). Who, for example, estimates that ‘on average 10% of the world’s drug supply is considered counterfeit, adulterated or otherwise fraudulent, although in some developing countries it could be as high as 33%.’ INTERNATIONAL LABMATE 01/08/2008 United Kingdom

Raid that left bogus traders all shook up. Trading standards officers had suspicious minds when they swooped on a shop displaying Elvis Presley T-shirts in its window. About £200,000-worth of fake designer goods were on show inside. They carried the names of brands such as Fred Perry, Lacoste and Giorgio Armani. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS (SERIES) 01/08/2008 United Kingdom NORTH EAST MANCHESTER ADVERTISER 07/08/2008 United Kingdom

Hair today, gone tomorrow as officers pounce on fakes More than 30 sets of potentially dangerous fake hair straighteners being sold by crooks in Derbyshire have been seized and destroyed. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH (FIRST EDITION) 04/08/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit goods seized Counterfeit goods worth £200,000 were seized after they passed through Exeter International Airport. Trading standards officers stopped 1,200 dodgy handbags, shoes, sunglasses, bras and knickers from hitting the streets after a local transport company tipped them off. EXETER EXPRESS & ECHO 06/08/2008 United Kingdom

Internet scam offered fake perfumes and DVDs A disabled man who operated an Internet scam selling fake and non-existing DVDs and perfumes on the international auction site e-Bay has been told by a judge his actions seriously damaged the reputation of a business which served millions. WESTERN MORNING NEWS (SERIES) 06/08/2008 United Kingdom

200k fake clothing hauls Somerset’s Trading Standards department has smashed a counterfeit clothing racket worth almost 200,000 in its biggest-ever single seizure. Over 1,200 items of fake designer gear including phony Burberry, Prada, Versace, Chanel, Ralph Lauren and Armani brands were discovered in the back of a lorry which had picked up a consignment from Exeter Airport. SOMERSET COUNTY GAZETTE 07/08/2008 United Kingdom

Fake booze and cigs alert after 675,000 haul Counterfeit vodka and cigarettes seized in Ripley are among an estimated 675,000 of fake goods discovered by Derbyshire trading standards officers. So far this year, council officers have seized 34 bottles of counterfeit vodka from shops in Ripley, Shirebrook, Long Eaton and Chesterfield. DERBYSHIRE TIMES (SERIES) 07/08/2008 United Kingdom

Two counterfeiters are jailed Trading standards have been cracking down on counterfeiters across the county with thousands of fake goods seized and two people jailed in the past year. During the year 2007 - 08 just over 3,000 counterfeit goods were seized by Derbyshire County Council with an estimated value of 675,000. BUXTON ADVERTISER 07/08/2008 United Kingdom BURTON MAIL 13/08/2008 United Kingdom ASHBOURNE NEWS TELEGRAPH 06/08/2008 United Kingdom

What a chocker! The 29-year-old was stunned when she discovered a piece of wire hidden in the tobacco. The woman’s discovery comes just two years after cops warned Buddies to be wary of fake fags that were flooding into Paisley. The counterfeit cigarettes were being flogged in local pubs and factories at a knockdown price but cops warned the bogus baccy contained rogue chemicals which are more harmful than those found in genuine cigarettes. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 12/08/2008 United Kingdom

Haul of fakes is seized at sale Thousands of counterfeit cigarettes, DVDs and bottles of alcohol were seized by police at a car boot sale in a village near Cannock. Officers from Watling Street Neighbourhood Policing Unit (NPU) discovered the fake goods during an operation in Bednall on Sunday. BIRMINGHAM EXPRESS & STAR 12/08/2008 United Kingdom

Duds seized in boot sale raid Police discovered an array of fake goods at car boot sale near Stafford. Cigarettes, DVDs and bottles of alcohol were seized by the police in Bednall on Sunday, August 10. Around, 4,000 counterfeit cigarettes, 20 pouches of tobacco 10,000 DVDs and 100 boxes of bottled beer and spirits were taken. STAFFORD & STONE CHRONICLE 14/08/2008 United Kingdom

Big haul of fake goods seized Officers from Watling Street Neighbourhood Policing Unit (NPU) seized a large amount of counterfeit goods during an operation in the area on Sunday (August 10). The team of police officers, supported by officers from Staffordshire Trading Standards, carried out the initiative at the car boot sale in Bednall. STAFFORD POST 14/08/2008 United Kingdom

Police raid at car boot sale Counterfeit cigarettes, booze and dodgy DVDs were seized by police from a car boot sale in Bednall. More than 4,000 cigarettes, 20 pouches of tobacco, 10,000 DVDs and 100 boxes of bottled beer and spirits were confiscated on Sunday. It followed an operation by officers from Watling Street Police and Staffordshire Trading Standards. STAFFORDSHIRE NEWSLETTER (SERIES) 14/08/2008 United Kingdom

Tracksuits at market were fakes A trader has admitted bringing scores of fake tracksuits into Merseyside. Ansar Ur Rehman, 32, of Salford, pleaded guilty to six trading standards ofences at Wirral magistrates` court yesterday. LIVERPOOL ECHO 15/08/2008 United Kingdom

Smuggler jailed over fake trainers A Chinese man who smuggled thousands of fake trainers into Britain has been jailed for three years. Zheng Liang, 32, also known as Feng Lian, of Woolwich, south London, pleaded guilty at Harrow Crown Court to committing trademark offences after more than 17,000 pairs of counterfeit Nike and Y- 3 shoes were found at self-storage units in Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Middlesex and London. DAILY TELEGRAPH 15/08/2008 United Kingdom EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 15/08/2008 United Kingdom SUN 15/08/2008 United Kingdom

Two are arrested in fake cosmetic products probe Two people have been arrested on suspicion of selling counterfeit products during raids at shops. Suffolk Trading Standards officers swooped on Temptation Accessories in The Walk, Ipswich, and seized 100 bags of goods and ten boxes of cosmetic products. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 15/08/2008 United Kingdom

Are there dangers in your suitcase? The trade in counterfeit often funds organised crime and drug dealing - even terrorism - and genuine manufacturers cannot compete with the low costs, so their companies fold and local people can end up out of work. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (ENGLISH EDITION) 16/08/2008 United Kingdom

Year’s jail for selling fake goods on Net A Walsall man who ran a ‘well-organised and sophisticated’ operation selling fake goods in the UK and overseas has been jailed for a year. The items had false trademarks such as Nike and Timberland. They were produced in China and in a store with space for 25,000 worth of the goods, Mr Jonathan Salmon, prosecuting, said. EXPRESS & STAR CANNOCK (MID STAFFS) 16/08/2008 United Kingdom

Probe on bad vodka Investigations are continuing after bottles of potentially dangerous counterfeit vodka were seized by trading standards officers in Dudley. The 12 bottles which claimed to be Glen’s Vodka were discovered for sale at an unnamed Coseley off-licence in June. EXPRESS & STAR CANNOCK (MID STAFFS) 16/08/2008 United Kingdom

Warning over fake gold as gang strikes again Fraudsters are trying to sell fake gold jewellery in the North-east. The Evening Express revealed last year that gangs were duping people into buying counterfeit jewellery. And the criminals are now back in Aberdeen. One pawnbroker and jewellery expert was offered three of the rings, being passed off as genuine hallmarked gold, in one day. ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS 20/08/2008 United Kingdom eBay changes aim for fewer critics and more sellers Last month, a court ordered eBay to pay Louis Vuitton $61m (£32,7m) over sales of fake handbags and perfume. eBay is challenging the ruling and was recently cheered by victories over Tiffany and L’Oreal, which were trying to make the website liable for counterfeit goods sold through the site. GUARDIAN 20/08/2008 United Kingdom

Shop fined over fake condoms and cigarettes A Wembley shop owner was fined 1,000 last week after admitting stocking illegal goods. Trading Standards officers found 14 counterfeit cigarette lighters and 133 packets of counterfeit condoms, as well as several unclassified Tamil DVDs, at Malar Supermarket, in High Road, in November last year. HARROW TIMES 21/08/2008 United Kingdom

Illegal immigrant jailed for smuggling A smuggler who masterminded a 1million scam bringing fake designer trainers into Britain was busted by Harrow Council. Zheng Liang, 32, pleaded guilty to trademark offences after an investigation uncovered 17,000 pairs of counterfeit running shoes being stored at units in and around London. It was the largest quantity of fakes ever recovered from one man. HARROW OBSERVER 21/08/2008 United Kingdom HARROW LEADER 21/08/2008 United Kingdom

Mastermind of ‘complex’ trainer smuggling ring jailed A Chinese man has been jailed for smuggling 17,000 pairs of fake trainers into the country as part of a 1 million racket. Described as one of the biggest counterfeit scams one person has ever run, Zheng Liang, of Watford, was given a three-year prison sentence for shipping piles of phoney trainers into the UK from China. HARROW TIMES 21/08/2008 United Kingdom

Shop owner fined for fake alcohol An off license owner caught selling fake alcohol and cigarette lighters has been fined 460. Lar Rajhaven, who runs Cheers in Penge Road, Woodside, was caught after a Croydon Council and HM Revenue and Customs investigation. Croydon Magistrates’ Court heard how the 41-year-old was found with five suspect bottles of Kirov vodka and 39 fake clipper lighters for sale last October. CROYDON ADVERTISER 22/08/2008 United Kingdom SUTTON & EPSOM ADVERTISER 22/08/2008 United Kingdom

‘Deadly’ fake vodka alert Thousands of potentially lethal bottles of fake vodka are flooding the streets of Greater Manchester. The number of bottles seized has increased more than 1,000 per cent in the past year, with crooks passing off counterfeit and watered-down vodka as the real thing with genuine brand names. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS (SERIES) 22/08/2008 United Kingdom

Poison vodka health alert Scots have been warned to look out for toxic bottles of fake vodka. The Food Standards Agency issued the UK-wide warning after contaminated fake bottles were found in two English cities. Anyone drinking the vodka risks methanol poisoning which can lead to vomiting, stomach pain, drowsiness and dizziness, blurred vision, blindness and breathing difficulties. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 23/08/2008 United Kingdom

‘Danger’ vodka on sale here Fake vodka which could make drinkers go blind is on sale in Britain, food safety experts warned yesterday. They said it contains harmful levels of methanol which could cause serious health problems if drunk in large quantities. SUN 23/08/2008 United Kingdom

Supplies of lethal fake vodka growing Thousands of potentially lethal bottles of fake vodka are flooding the streets of Greater Manchester. The number of bottles seized has increased more than 1,000 per cent in the past year, with crooks passing off counterfeit and watered-down vodka as the real thing with genuine brand names. WIGAN OBSERVER 26/08/2008 United Kingdom

Dodgy cigarettes were sold at shop Counterfeit cigarettes were found on sale at a Blackpool newsagents. Yasar Akbaba, 36, of Layton News, in Blackpool, admitted offering goods with false trademark for sale. Lynda Bennett, prosecuting for Blackpool Council, said when Trading Standards officers received a complaint from a customer they went to the Layton News shop. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE 29/08/2008 United Kingdom

Dodgy cigs gang must pay back 400,000 Three members of a South Yorkshire criminal gang who made thousands of pounds selling dodgy cigarettes smuggled into the UK from Eastern Europe have been ordered to pay back more than 400,000. James Sanders, Paul Dansby and Kevin Porter were jailed for total of six and a half years last November after police uncovered an illegal network which saw thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit cigarettes from Poland distributed to more than 200 of their friends and associates to sell. BARNSLEY STAR 29/08/2008 United Kingdom DONCASTER STAR 29/08/2008 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: July 2008

Sale of fakes costs eBay £31 million damages The Internet auctioneer eBay was ordered yesterday by a French court to pay almost 40 million euro (£31 million) to luxury goods companies, including Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, for allowing fake copies of their products to be sold via its website. DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 01/07/2008 United Kingdom GUARDIAN, THE 01/07/2008 United Kingdom EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 01/07/2008 United Kingdom SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 01/07/2008 United Kingdom ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 01/07/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit killers Trademarks, certification marks and holograms have all been replicated by counterfeiters, but it is usually the price that gives it away as fakes. If in doubt, a quick check with the manufacturers or certification body should clear up problems. NORTHERN IRELAND ELECTRICAL 01/07/2008 United Kingdom

Warning on fake goods at car boots Police will be keeping a close eye on sales over the summer months and urged people not to hand over cash for any items they feel might not be above board. The warning comes after 5,000 counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco products plus 500 pairs of fake trainers were seized in a police raid on the Dark Lane site in Featherstone on Sunday. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 02/07/2008 United Kingdom g2 Tellingly, as Galliano was taking his bow at the end of Monday`s show, the company was celebrating a 30m legal victory over the online auctioneer eBay for its failure to stop sales of fake bags, lipsticks and designer clothes. GUARDIAN, THE 03/07/2008 United Kingdom

Car boot clampdown Officers have seized a large amount of counterfeit goods from car boot sales during two operations earlier this week. The team of four police officers, supported by three officers from Staffordshire Trading Standards, carried out the seizures at car boot sales in Featherstone and Bednall. CANNOCK CHASE POST 03/07/2008 United Kingdom

Fake ban on tartan Tartan kings - Gold Brothers - have been banned from selling fake Isle of Skye products. The Court of Session in Edinburgh heard they offered fake kilts, scarves, rugs and hats at their shops in Scotland and on the internet. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 03/07/2008 United Kingdom

How to spot a fake on eBay Earlier this week eBay, the popular online auction website, was fined 38.6 million euro (£30 million) by a French court for allowing the sale of fake goods through its site. The ruling has raised a serious question: just how can you spot fake goods on eBay? DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 03/07/2008 United Kingdom

Man in court on brothel charges A 51-year-old has been charged with controlling prostitution for gain, possessing and distributing Kamagra, a counterfeit and unlicensed version of Viagra, possessing amphetamine and possessing an offensive weapon. BURY TIMES 03/07/2008 United Kingdom

Steiff bears abandon China According to Miss Pohlenz, counterfeiting remains a problem. "China is presently the most problematic country. Sixty percent of the counterfeit products which were confiscated at the borders of the EU last year were made in China," she said. DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 04/07/2008 United Kingdom

Wee were robbed Trading standards officers are chasing crooks that filled fake perfumes with urine and pond water in Slough, Berks. SUN 08/07/2008 United Kingdom

Why buying medicines online can be dangerous With more and more people self-diagnosing, it’s understandable that the trade in medicines on the internet is booming. But millions of people may be putting their lives at risk by buying counterfeit medicines online from rogue pharmacies, according to a new report. BELFAST NEWS LETTER GROUP 08/07/2008 United Kingdom

Liverpool business need to look at the issue of fake goods on... Merseyside companies who find fake versions of their goods being sold on eBay are being urged to make a claim against the online auction giant. The advice, from Liverpool intellectual property law specialists Shipley Solicitors, follows the landmark eBay judgment last week. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (ENGLISH EDITION) 08/07/2008 United Kingdom

Illicit tobacco and alcohol seized in raid on Burton shops Over 10,000 cigarettes and 100 litres of spirits have been seized from three premises in Burton, during a joint operation with Her Majesty's revenue and Customs (HMRC) working together with Staffordshire County Council Trading Standards and a representative from the tobacco industry. BURTON TRADER 09/07/2008 United Kingdom

Men sentenced over sales of fake Viagra Two men have been sentenced for selling fake Viagra and Valium after investigators found counterfeit pills worth just under £500,000 in a garden shed. Shabbir Hussain aged 55, of Cricklewood, London, was sentenced to four years and Mohammed Yasser Zaidi, 26, of Wembley Place, London, was sentenced to 51 weeks, suspended for two years and ordered to undertake 150 hours if community service. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 10/07/2008 United Kingdom

Warning over fake goods Shoppers are being warned to be on their guard against people selling counterfeit goods on the town’s streets. Police arrested a trader selling counterfeit designer sunglasses last week and also stopped another group of vendors from peddling fake gold rings. WARRINGTON GUARDIAN 10/07/2008 United Kingdom

Stall had fake branded goods A teenager admitted the street market stall he had been manning at the last Pack Monday Fair in Sherborne, Dorset was stocking brand-name tracksuits. Weymouth magistrates heard Phillip Stephen John McCall, aged 18, of Selby Grove, Billesley, Birmingham, previously admitted three offences dating from 15 October 2007. WESTERN GAZETTE (SERIES) 10/07/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit cigs seized in raid Thousands of counterfeit cigarettes have been confiscated from a house in Leigh by Trading Standards and Customs officers. The tobacco was being openly sold from the private house when officers swooped. LEIGH, TYLDESLEY & ATHERTON JOURNAL 10/07/2008 United Kingdom

500,000 of fakes seized in swoop Fake designer clothes worth more than £500,000 have been seized in Manchester’s war against counterfeit traders. Since M.E.N revealed the city was regarded as the capital for fake goods last year, there have been a number of raids. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS (SERIES) 12/07/2008 United Kingdom

Victory for eBay over fakes eBay, the online auction site, had won an important legal victory over Tiffany, which sued it over the sale of counterfeit goods. Following a four-year court action by the jeweller, a New York judge ruled that luxury goods manufacturers must police their trademarks on the Internet and not rely on auctions sites to do it for them. DAILY TELEGRAPH 15/07/2008 United Kingdom

Tiffany loses legal fight against eBay over counterfeit goods eBay has won a four-year legal battle with Tiffany over the jeweller’s complaint that the online websites amounted to a "rat’s nest" auction of counterfeit watches, bracelets and necklaces. GUARDIAN 15/07/2008 United Kingdom eBay in victory on fake jewels "The ruling confirms eBay acted reasonably and has appropriate procedures in place to effectively address counterfeiting. It also establishes protecting brands and trademarks is the primary responsibility of rights owners." EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 15/07/2008 United Kingdom

Condoms seized in blitz on the fakes Hundreds of fake condoms, fags and booze were seized in a massive council operation last week. Officers raided shops around Peckham in a two-week blitz aimed at reducing crime and antisocial behaviour and reassuring locals. SOUTH LONDON PRESS (TUESDAY) 15/07/2008 United Kingdom

Can you spot a fake? Trading standards, working alongside Cheshire police, has recently seized 450 pairs counterfeit `Ugg` boots worth a street value of £32,000 from an address in Lymm. The range of counterfeited goods on the market is bigger than ever and includes DVD’s, CD’s, games, software, clothes, alcohol, watches, perfume, car parts and cosmetics. SOUTH WARRINGTON NEWS 18/07/2008 United Kingdom

Jail threat to trader who sold fake goods online A trader faces jail if he fails to pay back 90,000 which he and his wife made from selling fake designer clothing on the internet. Gabriel Tomsa, 31, who was trading from his former home in Plough Hill, Cuffley, has until October to pay the money or go to jail for 18 months. HERTFORDSHIRE MERCURY 18/07/2008 United Kingdom eBay to hold ‘counterfeit summit’ with British icons How much for that Burberry handbag? Lawyers from eBay are to hold talks next week with representatives of the British luxury goods industry following a spate of counterfeiting cases which have cast doubt on the online auctioneer’s commitment to intellectual property (IP) protection. SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 20/07/2008 United Kingdom

The 1billion drain Counterfeit electronic components are entering the UK market in huge numbers, costing the economy an estimated 1bn a year, according to a paper from the UK Electronics Alliance (UKEA). The UKEA is calling on Government to combat this problem by increasing the amount of resources put into detection and prevention. NEW ELECTRONICS 22/07/2008 United Kingdom

Alert over fake vodka Neath Port Talbot Trading Standards has warned members of the public and traders to be on the lookout for potentially lethal counterfeit vodka. NEATH GUARDIAN 24/07/2008 United Kingdom

Sold fake polo shirts A criminology graduate has been jailed for an eBay scam. Gareth Williams, 32, of Mill Road, Llanfairfechan, was sentenced for 10 months for selling counterfeit Lacoste polo shirts imported from China. NORTH WALES WEEKLY NEWS (SERIES) 24/07/2008 United Kingdom

Man jailed for selling fake `designer` shirts A thirty-two year old man who admitted an eBay scam has a Masters degree - in criminology. Gareth Williams of Mill Road, Llanfairfechan was jailed for ten months for selling counterfeit Lacoste polo shirts, imported from China. NORTH WALES CHONICLE 24/07/2008 United Kingdom

Fake sunglasses trader is really rather shady An eBay trader admitted dealing in counterfeit sunglasses and was given a suspended prison sentence and a tagging order by Gloucester Crown Court on July 12. GLOUCESTER INDEPENDENT 24/07/2008 United Kingdom

Health warning over fake bottles of vodka on sale Fake Vodka has been found for sale in Surrey. Two people have required hospital treatment after drinking Glen`s Vodka that contained higher-than-normal levels of methanol. ESHER NEWS & MAIL 30/07/2008 United Kingdom

Trading Standards warning of counterfeit vodka on sale Trading Standards are warning people to be vigilant about buying vodka after two people were hospitalised after drinking counterfeit products. Surrey County Council Trading Standards manager Peter Denard said fake bottles of Glen`s Vodka, which contain higher than normal levels of methanol, have been found on sale in the country. DORKING ADVERTISER 31/07/2008 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: June 2008

Are your parts the real deal? At the April 2008 APEX conference it was estimated that the cost of global counterfeiting now stood at $650 billion. It didn’t seem so long ago when counterfeit goods referred to the manufacture of look-a- like designer clothing and watches. ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURE & TEST 01/06/2008 United Kingdom

Counter Attack A broad-based anti-counterfeiting effort entails managing the supply chain to avoid misappropriation of information and materials; pursuing those counterfeits who are discovered through civil or criminal prosecutions; leveraging technology to make it harder for counterfeits to copy products; and educating business partners and consumers about the risk of piracy and counterfeit. CFO EUROPE 01/06/2008 United Kingdom

Conterfeiters beware Four major industry organisations have joined forces to combat the dangerous traffic of counterfeit goods. It is not just associations that are aware of this issue. Leading circuit protection manufacturer Chint has recently been in touch with PE about this problem. PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN & INSTALLER 01/06/2008 United Kingdom

Industry bodies join forces to combat counterfeiters For many years at the forefront in initiatives against producers of anti-counterfeit electrical products, the British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers Association (BEAMA) has joined forces with the Electrical Distributors Association (EDA), Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) and Scotland’s trade association for the electrical, electronics and communications systems industry, SELECT, to create a Charter in the fight to combat the trade in counterfeits, and the proliferation of products failing to comply with the appropriate standards. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING NEWS [ECN] 01/06/2008 United Kingdom

The real deal The electrical industry sees the charter as a major move forward in combating the counterfeiters, presenting a unified front encompassing the associations working together on practical and effective solutions to stem the threat from counterfeit and non-compliant electrical products. Also to control the spread of those products not conforming to recognised standards in the market place. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING NEWS [ECN] 01/08/2008 United Kingdom

Spot the difference Counterfeiting - not just of bearings but of other types of industrial goods as well - does not require industrial scale facilities. ENGINEERING 01/06/2008 United Kingdom

Fake gear found at Real McKoy shop A shop called the Real McKoy was busted for selling fake designer goods. The owner of the shop, in Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, was ordered by court to pay almost £8,000 after Trading Standards officers found 47 sacks of counterfeit clothes during a raid in September 2006. SOUTH LONDON PRESS (TUESDAY) 03/06/2008 United Kingdom

Pubs blitz A major operation by Wigan’s trading standards team has netted illegal cigarettes and booze worth thousands of pounds. They swooped on pubs, off licenses, shops and homes in a one-day operation with customs officers after complaints from the public. WIGAN EVENING POST 04/06/2008 United Kingdom

eBay fakes fine eBay, the auction website, has been fined £15,000 after being convicted by French court of selling counterfeit Hermes bags. DAILY TELEGRAPH 05/06/2008 United Kingdom

Fake pottery worth £200,000 is found Thousands of pounds worth of plates, cups, fruit bowls and other faked high quality pottery was found at a warehouse in Walsall. Smaller raids were carried out in Wiltshire and London. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 05/06/2008 United Kingdom

Fake DVDs are seized More than 100 counterfeit DVDs were seized by trading standards officers in a week of action. Slough Borough Council`s trading standards team discovered the haul in one hit during their Crime Reduction Environment Week (CREW) which took place last month in Langley. SLOUGH & LANGLEY OBSERVER (SERIES) 11/06/2008 United Kingdom

Officers Seized Danger Vodka Bottles of potentially dangerous counterfeit vodka have been seized by trading standards officers in Dudley amid fears people’s health could be at risk. EXPRESS & STAR DUDLEY (WEST MIDLANDS) 11/06/2008 United Kingdom BIRMINGHAM EXPRESS & STAR 11/06/2008 United Kingdom EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 11/06/2008 United Kingdom

Fakes swoop A councilor’s husband admitted selling fake designer goods at his shop worth a total of £10,000. But Mohammed Ansar`s wife, Pendle councilor Eileen Ansar defended her husband saying he had not known the items were phony. LANCASHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 12/06/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeiting is no longer limited to designer goods More than 40 businesses in Harrow are being investigated for selling counterfeit goods, including condoms and razor blades. A haul of counterfeit goods, including 482 packets of Duracell batteries, 397 packets of Durex condoms, 157 Clipper lighters and 57 Gillette razors were seized from newsagents across Harrow . HARROW OBSERVER 12/06/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit cigarettes Fake cigarettes and tobacco were on sale at a Blackpool shop. Salim Balesaria and his wife Tasleem, both 32, and of Colenso Road, Blackburn, each pleaded guilty to two offences of displaying products with false trademarks. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE, THE 12/06/2008 United Kingdom eBay trader arrested in 25K trainers scam Counterfeit goods worth thousands of pounds have been seized in Broxbourne during a raid by Herts Trading Standards. Search warrants were carried out on two addresses in Broxbourne believed to be involved in the supply of fake Nike trainers. HODDESDON & BROXBOURNE MERCURY 13/06/2008 United Kingdom

Swoop on fake cigarette sellers A Crackdown on illegal sales of tobacco in Peterborough found 10 outlets selling fake or duty-free cigarettes. The initiative - a joint operation between Peterborough city Council and cigarette manufacturers Imperial Tobacco - saw trading standards officers swoop on businesses in a bid to tackle the problem of counterfeit cigarettes, which can be more harmful than the genuine brands they are packaged to resemble. PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH 17/06/2008 United Kingdom

£300 fine over fake alcohol The former licensee of a Stourbridge hotel has been fined £300 for selling counterfeit Smirnoff vodka. Terence Kelly, aged 23, who ran The Talbot Hotel, in High Street, will also have to pay costs of £2,383. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 17/06/2008 United Kingdom

Record Business Insider Brits are buying counterfeit goods and setting a bad example to their kids, say a study. More than a third of adults have consciously bought imitation products ranging from football shirts and designer handbags to music and software. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 18/06/2008 United Kingdom

Shoppers warned to watch for dodgy deals Staffordshire trading standards officers used the occasion yesterday to send out a reminder that counterfeiting is a serious organised crime. Carol Dean, Staffordshire county Council’s spokesman for ‘safer and stronger communities’, said: "Counterfeiting can have a major impact on the local economy, on the health and safety of consumers and on community wellbeing”. BURTON MAIL 18/06/2008 United Kingdom

Poison Cigs Flood City Chinese gangs are flooding Liverpool with cheap killer cigarettes. Organised gangs are selling illegal cigs loaded with dangerous levels of arsenic, glass fibres and rat droppings. The cigarettes are being sold in pubs and newsagents throughout the city. LIVERPOOL ECHO 18/06/2008 United Kingdom

Fake goods trader made £100,000 on eBay A Man who sold fake designer clothing on eBay raked in more than £100,000. Gareth Lloyd Williams faced Llandudno magistrates yesterday and pleaded guilty to 10 counts of selling counterfeit Lacoste goods on the site. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (WELSH EDITION) 18/06/2008 United Kingdom WESTERN MAIL SERIES 18/06/2008 United Kingdom

Cracking down on counterfeits Trading Standards officers are working closely with the organisers of boot fairs and markets to crack down on the sale of counterfeit goods across Essex. EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES (SERIES) 19/06/2008 United Kingdom

Avoid internet fakes with MCC`s top tips The warning coincides with World Anti-Counterfeiting Day on June 17 and Phil Granville, Monmouthshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards is keen to make sure residents don’t get scammed in cyberspace. ABERGAVENNY CHRONICLE 19/06/2008 United Kingdom

Brothers face charges A man who admitted selling counterfeit Lacoste polo shirts on e-Bay asked for 3,296 cases to be taken into consideration. Magistrates at Llandudno were told the transactions involved £164,000. NORTH WALES PIONEER 19/06/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeits seized at car boot sales Trading standards officers have vowed to continue their crackdown on people selling counterfeit goods. In recent months Staffordshire County Council staff, have seized fake drinks, toys, clothing, household goods and medicines. DERBY EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 19/06/2008 United Kingdom

House full of fake goods, court told Fake designer goods were sold from a Bournemouth home through internet auction site eBay, a court heard. Raids revealed boxes and boxes... of footwear and clothing bearing labels including Christian Dior, Lacoste and Timberland, Borunemouth Crown Court was told. BOURNEMOUTH DAILY ECHO 19/06/2008 United

Goods seized Allergic reactions to counterfeit cosmetic sold on eBay sparked complaints to consumer watchdogs. STEVENAGE COMET 19/06/2008 United Kingdom

The real price we pay for our fake CDs and cigarettes Each day in Britain £10m worth of counterfeit clothing and luxury goods are sold. Everything designed and produced legitimately is now available as a cheap fake - from clothes and shoes to CDs and condoms - in Black Market Britain. Virtually every major crime gang in Britain is now involved in the highly organised counterfeit business. MERTHYR EXPRESS 19/06/2008 United Kingdom

Terrorism links to city`s deadly cig trade As the ECHO revealed yesterday, Chinese gangs are flooding Liverpool with cheap killer cigarettes but, as Caroline Innes discovers, this is doing more than just damaging your health. LIVERPOOL ECHO 20/06/2008 United Kingdom

Fake jackets are safety danger for bikers Trading Standards officers from Westminster Council discovered a batch of 350 counterfeit jackets which had their protective pads stuffed with flimsy foam, after swooping on a West End store. WEST END EXTRA 20/06/2008 United Kingdom

Black Market Britain - Faking It Every week in the UK, millions of pounds are spent on counterfeit goods. From CDs to brand-name clothing, fake items are sold at a fraction of their true price. This documentary goes on the trail of the organised gangs in the trade, and speaks to artists including Katie Melua whose work has been pirated. SUN TV MAG (SUPP. TO THE SUN) 21/06/2008 United Kingdom

Illegal online pharmacies sell fake drugs Up to 62% of medicines purchased over the internet are either fake or substandard, a new report has warned. Included in the suspect batches are medicines to treat conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory disease, neurological disorders, and mental health conditions. INDEPENDENT 23/06/2008 United Kingdom

Man sold fake designer goods A man admitted selling fake designer clothes. Mahmood Nawz from Newbury Road, Stockport pleaded guilty to four charges under the Trade Marks Act. He was caught by Trading Standards officers from Conwy council. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (WELSH EDITION) 26/06/2008 United Kingdom

Trader fined for buying counterfeit goods A Trader from Northampton who admitted buying dozens of counterfeit clothes and trainers has been given a community order and made to pay £750 in costs. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 30/06/2008 United Kingdom

Police in swoop on car boot More than 5,000 counterfeit cigarettes and 500 pairs of fake trainers have been seized from a car boot sale in Featherstone. Police raided the Dark Lane site yesterday and another sale at Bednall, on the A34 between Cannock and Stafford, where counterfeit DVDs were found. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 30/06/2008 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: May 2008

Faking it can cost you dear They can be dangerous, cost you more money and you could even be helping fund drug dealer and other criminals. WIGAN EVENING POST 01/05/2008 United Kingdom

Danger vodka seized at store More than 100 bottles of suspected fake vodka have been seized from a store in Nelson. LANCASHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 01/05/2008 United Kingdom

Portobello crime crackdown Market traders were targeted during an operation to build community relations and prevent sales of knives and imitation guns in a famous road. Counterfeit goods were seized and a man arrested on Friday, as 40 police officers and 12 Kensington and Chelsea Council workers took to Portobello Road, Notting Hill, as part of a crime focus day. FULHAM CHRONICLE SERIES 01/05/2008 United Kingdom MARYLEBONE, PADDINGTON & PIMLICO MERCURY 01/05/2008 UK KENSINGTON & CHELSEA NEWS 01/05/2008 United Kingdom

Imitation Richard Scott investigates the problem of counterfeited electrical products seeping into legitimate supply chains. In the world TV, film and trashy novels, the counterfeiter has a rather glamorous image. A loveable rogue and a brilliant craftsman, able to fool the experts into parting company with hundreds and thousands of pounds. ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS & APPLICATIONS 01/05/2008 United Kingdom

Beware of fakes at car boot sales Bargains picked up at car boot sales may not be quite as good value as they seem, according to Essex County Council Trading Standards. Counterfeit goods are commonplace at several popular locations across the county, including fake clothing, jewellery, perfume and CDs, some of which could be dangerous. EAST LONDON ENQUIRER 01/05/2008 United Kingdom

Warning about counterfeit goods Do not be tempted by offers to buy premium hair straighteners at bargain prices - this is the warning after counterfeit goods were seized at Thoresby Market. Trading standards officers confiscated 100 sets of the fake GHD straighteners which were being sold for £45 - under half the current market value. RETFORD TRADER AND GUARDIAN 01/05/2008 United Kingdom

Market traders’ dodgy deals A market trader from Harlow has been ordered to do community work after selling stolen fishing reels and fake clothing. Glen Gardener (48), of The Chase, and Billy Highton were caught in an undercover police sting with officers posing as customers. HARLOW HERALD 01/05/2008 United Kingdom HARLOW CITIZEN 02/05/2008 United Kingdom HARLOW STAR 01/05/2008 United Kingdom

Con couple caught on net A married couple who ran an internet "cottage industry" selling counterfeit designer clothing on eBay have narrowly escaped a jail term. Paul and Brenda Crump aged 44 and 47 respectively, were each ordered to carry out 80 hours unpaid work and pay £600 costs after they admitted offences under the Trademark Act. MERTHYR EXPRESS 01/05/2008 United Kingdom

Fake drink alert TRADING standards officers have launched an investigation after fears a woman admitted to hospital with alcohol poisoning may have been drinking counterfeit vodka. WISBECH STANDARD 02/05/2008 United Kingdom

Vodka drinkers warned to watch out for lethal fakes Trading standards officials are warning Lancashire drinkers to be aware of potentially lethal vodka. It comes after 109 bottles of fake Glens Vodka were found at a shop in Nelson following complaints from residents about counterfeit cigarettes. LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 02/05/2008 United Kingdom

Serial Killer A former public school master churned out fakes from a kiln in his shed. Jeremy Broadway, 52, duped top auction experts into flogging the "rare" pots he knocked out in the style of famous artists. Two of his "Bernard Leach" vases and a "Lucie Rie" pot went under the hammer at Bonham's for £8,900. Three other bowls were set to fetch £17,000 at Christies - until last-minute doubts about their authenticity Bourne mouth Crown Court heard. SUN, THE 02/05/2008 United Kingdom

Dodgy goods mans fine was a Scots record Trading standards bosses have revealed that the £10,000 fine dished out to a dodgy Paisley businessman for selling fake designer clothes is the biggest ever in Scotland. The maximum penalty for trading in counterfeit clothing was given to John McIlvogue, 32, at Paisley Sheriff Court. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 05/05/2008 United Kingdom

Trader had 10k of fake clothing A Trader is facing a possible jail sentence after being caught with a haul of fake designer clothing with a street value of more than £10,000. Famous names including Dolce and Gabbana, Henri Lloyd and Lacoste were among the 93 pairs of clothing seized from Marcus Parkes, 39, of Chapel House Road, Nelson. LANCASHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 06/05/2008 United Kingdom

Car worker admits selling fake clothing A Jaguar car worker who admitted having counterfeit designer clothing for sale at Tir Prince Market in Towyn has received a suspended prison sentence. Last week, Mold Crown Court heard that defendant Tarsem Singh, 47, had a previous conviction for false trademarks offences before Cheshire magistrates but had clearly failed to learn his lesson. RHYL & PRESTATYN VISITOR 07/05/2008 United Kingdom ABERGELE & ST ASAPH VISITOR 07/05/2008 United Kingdom

Shop boss jailed in fake goods probe A Bradford businessman aiming to short-change shoppers with £240,000 of fake designer clothing has been jailed for nine months. A judge told Mohammed Akram the substandard counterfeit labels "struck at the root of commerce". Akram, 41, was arrested after Trading Standards officers raided his All Brands 4 U shop in Neal Street, Bradford. BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS (SERIES) 09/05/2008 United Kingdom

Threat of fake drugs growing The growing threat posed by dangerous fake drugs was highlighted today by a leading medical journal. The Lancet reported between 2000 and 2006 the US Food and Drug Administration saw an eight-fold increase in the number of new counterfeit cases. EXPRESS & STAR WALSALL (WEST MIDLANDS) 09/05/2008 United Kingdom

2m of fake goods found Westminster Council has won a national award for its tough stance against traders who pedal fake goods. The Anti-Counterfeiting Group award was presented to the council yesterday (Thursday) Trading standards officers seized 2 million of fake goods from rouge traders in Westminster in 2007. WEST END EXTRA 09/05/2008 United Kingdom

Threat to life by phony drugs The growing threat posed by dangerous fake drugs was highlighted today by a leading medical journal. The Lancet reported that between 2000 and 2006 the US Food and Drug Administration saw an eight-fold increase in the number of new counterfeit cases. BIRMINGHAM EXPRESS & STAR 09/05/2008 United Kingdom EXPRESS & STAR WALSALL (WEST MIDLANDS) 09/05/2008 United Kingdom

Fake goods haul worth 20,000 A MAN caught with a haul of fake designer goods, estimated to be worth more than £20,000, has escaped a jail sentence. Trading standards officials and police swooped on the home of Marcus Parkes, in Chapel House Road, Brierfield, and found a hoard of counterfeit clothing and trainers, Burnley magistrates heard. LANCASHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 12/05/2008 United Kingdom

Taking the mock... One in three Brits buys fake designer clothes, bags and watches - and 70% are happy to admit it, a poll shows. SUN 12/05/2008 United Kingdom

Police in sale raid Four people were arrested and counterfeit goods seized after police swooped on a car boot sale near Wolverhampton. Police and trading standards officers targeted a car boot sale at Worfield, along with HM Revenue & Customs officials. One trader was arrested for video recording offences and another for selling counterfeit Nike trainers, watches and other clothing. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 12/05/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit Pompey products targeted DODGY traders selling counterfeit Pompey goods are being targeted by trading standards officials. Since Pompey made it to the final of the FA Cup there has been a surge in the number of traders selling Pompey goods on the streets. PORTSMOUTH NEWS, THE (SERIES) 14/05/2008 United Kingdom

Booze cops chase down a drop of the wrong stuff Town Hall inspectors have been out on the booze and the bill has been picked up by the tax payers. They tested samples of brands of whisky and brandy at licensed premises in the East End last week, including Brick Lane and Canary Wharf. EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 15/05/2008 United Kingdom

Condoms and vodka among fakes seized Counterfeit condoms have been seized in the borough along with 17,000 other fake goods. Jubilant trading standards chiefs have removed more phony products from the streets than any other 18 local authorities in the south east, says a report. SLOUGH & SOUTH BUCKS EXPRESS 16/05/2008 United Kingdom

Clampdown on fake cigarettes COUNCIL chiefs have drawn up a 13-point plan to clamp down on contraband and counterfeit tobacco after it was revealed that fake cigarettes were flooding South Yorkshire. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST (SERIES) 16/05/2008 United Kingdom

250,000 fake goods grabbed at market Counterfeit goods worth £250,000 and illegal imitation firearms were seized from eight stalls at Polesworth market on Bank Holiday Monday. The goods were seized following a co-ordinated raid by Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards Service and Warwickshire and Staffordshire police. BEDWORTH ECHO 16/05/2008 United Kingdom

500k secures this fraudsters freedom A fraudulent market trader is to be released from prison this week after paying off more than half a million pounds. Jhalman Singh was prosecuted by Bedfordshire County Council trading standards officers in 2006. BEDFORDSHIRE ON SUNDAY (SERIES) 18/05/2008 United Kingdom

Channel nets double victory against piracy Microsoft has snagged 10 UK retailers in its anti-piracy net, as new figures from the Business Software Alliance (BSA) indicate that UK software piracy rates have dropped for the first time in three years. Analyst IDCs annual global piracy study, conducted on behalf of the BSA, found that the UK software piracy rate dropped one per cent to 26% in 2007. UK losses from piracy hit £925m. COMPUTER RESELLER NEWS 19/05/2008 United Kingdom

"Worrying" increase in dangerous fake goods Consumers were warned today about a "worrying" increase in dangerous counterfeit goods. New figures show customs across Europe are seizing more fake goods than ever before - including potentially dangerous medicines, cosmetics and electrical equipment alongside traditional hauls of cigarettes, jewellery and watches. DUNDEE EVENING TELEGRAPH 19/05/2008 United Kingdom EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 20/05/2008 UK

Manchester to target piracy The computer software industry will today launch a crackdown on software piracy in Manchester, the source of more complaints about pirated programmes than any other English city apart from London. FINANCIAL TIMES (UK & IRELAND EDITION) 19/05/2008 United Kingdom

Danger alert as fake goods rise MORE counterfeit goods than ever are being seized by customs, it was revealed yesterday. Fake products, including dangerous medicines and electrical equipment, were among a 17 per cent rise in items seized last year. More than 43,000 cases of fake goods, including cigarettes, jewellery and watches were uncovered, the European Commission said. METRO LONDON 20/05/2008 United Kingdom

EU fakes haul rises FAKE branded goods are continuing to flood into Europe despite a huge crackdown, figures revealed yesterday. EU customs watchdogs last year seized almost a fifth more than in 2006 with rogue cigarettes making up a massive one third of consignments. SUN, THE 20/05/2008 United Kingdom

1m of fake designer goods seized A £1M haul of fake designer handbags, shoes and jewellery has been uncovered by trading standards officers in Manchester. The goods - including copies of expensive Gucci and Louis Vuitton bags - were inside two freight containers on wasteland in Cheetham Hill. MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS (SERIES) 21/05/2008 United Kingdom

12k counterfeit goods seized at fair Counterfeit clothing with a street value of £12,000 was confiscated yesterday during a planned operation at Ballyclare May Fair. The seizure was made by detectives from the Intellectual Property Crime unit. A police spokesman said one man has been reported to the PPS. BELFAST NEWS LETTER GROUP 21/05/2008 United Kingdom

Trader is jailed for selling fake clothes A market trader working on a stall at the Great Dorset Steam Fair has been jailed after officials swooped on the county’s biggest ever haul of counterfeit goods. Dorchester Crown Court heard that 4,533 items of clothing and footwear had been seized. WESTERN GAZETTE, THE (SERIES) 24/05/2008 United Kingdom

Fake clubs trader escapes jail term "It is important that people buying goods on the internet can be assured they are genuine". Lucas was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for one year and 60 hours of unpaid work. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 26/05/2008 UK

Fake designer clothing seized Counterfeit clothing valued at more than £500,000 was seized by police at the Dargan industrial estate on Friday. Two searches were carried out on premises as part of an ongoing Intellectual Property Crime Unit operation against organised crime. BELFAST NEWS LETTER GROUP 26/05/2008 United Kingdom

Proud to be a genuine faker Buddies are fakers who aren`t ashamed to flaunt the fact that they own phoney designer fashion goods. More than 22 per cent of Scots owned up to having a fake designer item - one of highest rates in the UK. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 26/05/2008 United Kingdom

Internet dealer sold fake clubs A crook who sold counterfeit golf clubs on eBay must have been feeling below par when he appeared before a court to face a jail term. He escaped being locked up after the judge gave him a suspended prison sentence. NORTHUMBERLAND CHRONICLE EXTRA 28/05/2008 United Kingdom

Dodgy vodka`s off shelves following raid More than 1,000 bottles of fake vodka have been seized by trading standards officers. CARDIFF POST, THE 29/05/2008 United Kingdom

Thousands of fakes are available online Thousands of counterfeit accessories are flooding the UK market via online bidding sites. Authentic Foundation is an NGO that raises awareness about fake products. Vice president Elizabeth May said: "It is vitally important that consumer awareness of counterfeit goods is raised." FONE! 29/05/2008 United Kingdom

Sentence is reduced for fizzy drunk boss Naris was jailed for 18 months in February last year after admitting possessing counterfeit labelling materials. He was also convicted of contravening food safety hygiene regulations and contravening an emergency prohibition notice. EAST LONDON ADVERTISER 29/05/2008 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: April 2008

Trader sold fake designer clothes A market trader who dealt in fake designer sports clothing and trainers has been jailed. Stall-holder Waseem Cowker was caught with more than 1,800 items of fake clothing and 650 pairs of counterfeit shoes. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (ENGLISH EDITION) 01/04/2008 United Kingdom

Bargain sale turns into a fake-goods nightmare Fake goods were sold to unsuspecting shoppers during a "clearance sale" at a working men’s club. Leaflets were dropped on doorsteps across Lewisham last months promising ex-catalogue stock and returns at rock-bottom prices. LEWISHAM BOROUGH MERCURY 02/04/2008 United Kingdom

Police swoop on Newquay traders stall Police and Trading Standards officers swooped on a Truro market stall suspected of selling counterfeit goods. The Cornish Guardian accompanied officers as they arrested a woman in her fifties in an early morning sting after a six-week investigation. CORNISH GUARDIAN (SERIES) 02/04/2008 United Kingdom

Fake designer clothes on sale A car worker has admitted having counterfeit designer clothing for sale at the Tir Prince Market at Towyn near Rhyl, in October of last year. Mold crown court heard on Friday that defendant Tarsem Singh, 47, had a previous conviction for false trademark offences before Cheshire magistrates. RHYL & PRESTATYN VISITOR & ABERGELE & ST ASAPH VISITOR 02/04/2008 UK

Fake vodka on sale warning Counterfeit bottles of a well known brand of vodka have been discovered on sale in Leigh. Following a complaint, council trading standards officers visited an off-licence in the town and a small number of 70cl bottles of Glens Vodka were seized. LEIGH, TYLDESLEY & ATHERTON JOURNAL 03/04/2008 United Kingdom

Owen autograph fakers facing jail Two conmen who sold counterfeit sports memorabilia & clothing as well as fake signatures of sports stars to hundreds of fans were facing jail last night. Graeme Walker and Faisal Madani flogged shirts and photos claiming they were autographed by heroes including Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard - for up to £5,000. SUN, THE 03/04/2008 United Kingdom

Bootleg vodka contains dangerous chemicals Trading standards chiefs have issued a warning after counterfeit bottles of chemical-ridden vodka were found on sale in Leigh. Officer swooped after a tip-off from a shopper who spotted the bottles on sale in an off-licence in the town. LEIGH REPORTER 03/04/2008 United Kingdom

Busted A Rogue trader who ran a fake designer clothing empire from a container in a Paisley back street was busted in an undercover operation. John McIIvogue coined in cash by using popular internet site eBay to flog counterfeit gear supposedly by world-famous brands such as Versace, Armani, Gucci, Christian Dior, Prada, Lacoste and Louis Vuitton. PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS 03/04/2008 United Kingdom

Fake booze seized as officers raid market Dodgy alcohol and fake cigarettes that could pose a risk to users’ health were seized from a stall at Wolverhampton Indoor Market. Investigators swooped on the stall after a tip-off and took away hoards of illegal goods. EXPRESS & STAR WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) (WEST MIDLANDS) 03/04/2008 UK

Fake designer clothes web trader is snared after raid A haul of fake designer clothing and accessories being sold as genuine on the eBay internet site was seized in a Trading Standards Officers raid. Goods advertised as Christian Dior, Prada, Versace, Armani, Gucci, Lacoste and Louis Vuitton were being offered . But investigators traced the goods to a container in a Paisley back street. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 03/04/2008 United Kingdom

Suspicious lines The trade in counterfeit products is reaching epidemic proportions. Nothing is safe. From razor blades to helicopter parts, alcohol to food, almost every product with a commercial value is at risk of being counterfeited. Even drugs designed to slow the spread of cancer, or prevent organ rejection, are being faked. CONVENIENCE STORE 04/04/2008 United Kingdom

Fake N95s come to the UK Dealers and distributors are being warned to check the authenticity of phones they handle. The warning comes as large numbers of counterfeit Nokia handsets have arrived in the UK mobile market in recent weeks, with predictions of bigger shipments in the coming months. MOBILE 04/04/2008 United Kingdom

Trader sold fake goods A Great Yarmouth trader who sold counterfeit goods bought them in good faith hoping to make a profit at his failing shops, a court heard. Mohsen Pishbin, 48, admitted purchasing and selling counterfeit Harley-Davidson goods including leather jackets, gloves and T-shirts at his rented Charm shops in Regent Road and Market Gates precinct last year. GREAT YARMOUTH MERCURY 04/04/2008 United Kingdom

The pills that kill The multi-billion-pound global trade in bogus medicines is responsible for an estimated half a million deaths a year. As Europe becomes an ever-more lucrative target fro counterfeiters, Eric Clark meets the government agents and pharmaceutical company investigators who are taking the fight to the fakers. TELEGRAPH MAGAZINE (SUPP. TO THE DAILY TELEGRAPH) 05/04/2008 UK

Bag mans web of lies A former council worker flogged fake designer gear on eBay to clear his crippling debts. Dad-of-three Stuart Hill, 49 of Dalry, Ayrshire, bought counterfeit purses, belts and bags from China. SCOTTISH SUNDAY MAIL 06/04/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit vodka discovered in council inspection Council officers seized 38 bottles of counterfeit vodka from a store in Kenton. The bottles of Glens Vodka were seized during a routine inspection at Sathees Food and Wine, in Streatfield Road, Kenton. HARROW OBSERVER 06/04/2008 UK

Man is charged over bogus goods A man has been charged under the Tradermarks Act 1994 after a raid on a Somers Town storage unit. Paik Siang Ooi, 30, of Berkeley Walk, Andover Estate, Holloway, was charged with possession of goods with false trademarks with intent to distribute. CAMDEN GAZETTE 09/04/2008 United Kingdom

Trader faces jail on fake clothing A businessman has been warned he could be jailed after trading standards officers seized thousands of pounds of counterfeit designer clothing from his Bradford premises. Mohammed Akram, 41, had been due to stand trial at the city’s Crown Court yesterday but he pleaded guilty to a charge alleging that he had used a trademark without authorisation. BRADFORD TELEGRAPH & ARGUS (SERIES) 09/04/2008 United Kingdom

Jail for men who sold fake sports autographs A sporting goods store owner and his business partner have been jailed for selling items with forged autographs of sporting stars including Michael Owen, David Beckham and Steven Gerrard. Graeme Walker, owner of Sporting Icons Ltd on Watergate Row, Chester, was told by Judge David Hale his actions had been "a complete sham". CHESTER & DISTRICT STANDARD 10/04/2008 United Kingdom

Shops selling fake goods Fresh warnings over phoney goods are being made after borough shops were found selling fake condoms, lighters and vodka. In the past 12 months trading standards officers have recorded 30 instances of stores in Richmond selling counterfeit goods. Eight of these shops were selling fake lighters, which have been known to explode in peoples faces. Phoney batteries, razor blades and DVDs have also been found on sale. RICHMOND & TWICKENHAM TIMES 11/04/2008 United Kingdom

Van was full of fake clothing A Mercedes van and fake designer clothes worth £10, 000 were seized by trading standards officers at Tir Prince Market, Towyn near Rhyl. Kamran Nazir, 27, of Cheetham Hill, Manchester was yesterday sentenced at Mold Crown on two specimen charges of possessing two T-shirts with false trademarks. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (WELSH EDITION) 11/04/2008 United Kingdom

Stallholder, 23, sold fake designer clothes A stallholder from Wolverhampton who had a van almost full of fake designer clothes for sale at a n open air street market has been given a six-month suspended prison sentence. Isran Khan had 1,000 items in his van when arrested, about 750 of which were fake. That would have meant the potential loss to genuine trade mark holders of about £38,000, a court heard. EXPRESS & STAR DUDLEY (WEST MIDLANDS) 12/04/2008 United Kingdom

Warning fake Teletubbies contain lead Norfolk: Trading standards officers have warned that counterfeit Teletubbies toys on sale at markets should be “binned” because they may contain dangerous levels of lead. Tests showed that one toy contained more than ten times the legal lead limit, said a spokesman. EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS 15/04/2008 United Kingdom

The rise of fake mobiles Poor quality but hard to spot, the last few years have seen massive growth in fake and counterfeit mobiles. Counterfeit goods entering the UK mobile market are on the rise and are a massive cause for concern, according to the majority of independent dealers and distributors. Historically, the problem was limited to accessories, but over the last couple of years counterfeit handsets have become more prominent; either counterfeit parts combined with refurbished components imitation handsets, or in some cases counterfeit handsets. FONE! 17/04/2008 United Kingdom

Market trader sold fakes A North Manchester man who blamed his twin brother for fake clothing scam has received a suspended jail sentence. Kamran Nazir, from Brideoak Street, Cheetham Hill, was convicted of possessing two T-shirts with false designer logos after trading standards swooped on a market in north Wales. NORTH EAST MANCHESTER ADVERTISER, THE 17/04/2008 United Kingdom

Teletubbies: say un-oh! A warning has gone out to parents in Great Yarmouth and across the county who may have bought counterfeit Teletubbies. Norfolk County Council Trading Standards officers are advising parents to get rid of the toys after tests found the Teletubbies contained potentially dangerous levels of lead and chromium. GREAT YARMOUTH & GORLESTON ADVERTISER 17/04/2008 United Kingdom

Beware these fake spirits Trading standards officers are warning the public to be on the lookout for fake vodka being sold in Bolton. Investigators carried out raids on shops in the Deane and Little Lever areas this week after customers were sold counterfeit Glens Vodka. One woman, who asked not to be named, told the Bolton News she had bought two 70cl bottles at a shop in Deane on Monday night. BOLTON EVENING NEWS 17/04/2008 United Kingdom

Lead warning over counterfeit Teletubbies Counterfeit Teletubbies toys on sale at markets may contain dangerous levels of lead, trading standards officers warned yesterday. Norfolk County Council said investigators seized the counterfeit figures at markets in Snetterton and Norwich. A spokesman said the toys should be "binned". DISS EXPRESS 18/04/2008 United Kingdom GREAT YARMOUTH & GORLESTON ADVERTISER 17/04/2008 United Kingdom THETFORD & WATTON TIMES 16/04/2008 United Kingdom NORWICH EVENING NEWS 15/04/2008 UK ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL (SERIES) 15/04/2008 United Kingdom

Warning over fake cigarettes A crackdown on contraband cigarettes was being launched at Birmingham international’s Airport today. Customs staff have revealed that leather sofas, lengths of timber and under felt tiles for laminate flooring have all been used in attempts to smuggle millions of cigarettes into the country. BIRMINGHAM EXPRESS & STAR 18/04/2008 United Kingdom

Man jailed over designer gear A man has been jailed over the largest ever haul of counterfeit items seized in Dorset. Shafiq Hussain, 31, was sentenced to eight months in prison and Mohammed Khan, 21, received a six month suspended sentence for their involvement in selling counterfeit goods at the Great Dorset Steam Fair in August 2006. DORSET ECHO 19/04/2008 United Kingdom

Cigarettes alert Customs officers have warned the public about the dangers of counterfeit tobacco after seizing 50 million illegal cigarettes in a regional crackdown. More than 4,250kg of illegal had-rolling tobacco was also seized in the West Midlands area last year. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (ENGLISH EDITION) 19/04/2008 United Kingdom

Fakes at fair A market trader who offered counterfeit clothes at the Great Dorset Steam fair has been jailed for eight months after trading standards seized more than 4,500 items of clothing and footwear -the county’s biggest ever haul of counterfeit goods. WESTERN DAILY PRESS (SERIES) 21/04/2008 United Kingdom

Criminals target vulnerable in rogue medicines Euro scam Moves by the EU to protect Blackpool residents from counterfeit medicines have been welcomed. The EU Commission has launched an inquiry to look at ways to combat the problem of fake drugs, which are widely available on the internet, but now making their way into high street chemist shops and hospitals. BLACKPOOL GAZETTE, THE 21/04/2008 United Kingdom

Designer clothes pair avoids prison A Married couple who ran an internet "cottage industry" selling counterfeit designer clothing on eBay have narrowly escaped a jail term. Paul Crump, 44, and his trainee solicitor wife Brenda, 47, were each ordered to carry out 80 hours unpaid work and pay 600 costs after they admitted offences under the Trademark Act. SOUTH WALES ECHO (SERIES) 24/04/2008 United Kingdom

Business fined over fake goods A MID Wales Business has been fined £6,000 for selling fake goods on internet auction site eBay. P and T Poultry Limited, of Llandrindod Wells and its director, Trevor Craig Marshall, were fined at the towns magistrate's court on Tuesday after being prosecuted under the Trade Mark Act 1994. Around £500 costs were awarded to the council. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (WELSH EDITION) 24/04/2008 United Kingdom

Community order for fake clothes trader A shopkeeper admitted selling hundreds of designer fakes from his Dewsbury clothes store. Tariq Hanif, 31, who ran Earth menswear in Corporation Street, pleaded guilty to 32 counts of unauthorised use of trademarks. A judge at Bradford Crown Court imposed a two-year community order which included 180hours unpaid work. Hanif was also ordered to pay £4,843 costs. DEWSBURY PRESS 25/04/2008 United Kingdom

Clothing scam man escapes jail A Ravensthorpe father who ran a counterfeit clothing scam targeting users of auction website eBay has escaped jail. Shezad Hussain, 35, pleaded guilty on 24 counts of selling counterfeit goods at Leeds Crown Court on Friday. DEWSBURY REPORTER SERIES 25/04/2008 United Kingdom

No jail for counterfeiter A Rouge trader who sold fake designer clothes on eBay under the name Twin Towers 11 has escaped jail. Father-of-four Shezad Hussain, 35, of Northstead, Ravensthorpe, ran his mail order business out of a rented warehouse above a supermarket. Police recovered 1,080 items of suspected counterfeit clothing with names including Lacoste, Stone Island, Armani and Timberland. DEWSBURY PRESS 25/04/2008 United Kingdom

Fake goods alert Advice is being offered to help people looking for bargains at this summers car boot sales to avoid buying counterfeit goods. Essex County Council Trading Standards is offering guidance now car boot sale season is in full swing, having over the years seen a wide range of fake goods for sale across the county. COLCHESTER EVENING GAZETTE 28/04/2008 United Kingdom

Distributor directory after counterfeit crackdown in US A crackdown on the problem of counterfeit components in the US has seen the publication of a directory of authorised distributors by the Semiconductor Industry Association. The chip industry body is also working with customs authorities to seize counterfeits at the borders and encouraging the authentication of legitimate products. ELECTRONICS WEEKLY 30/04/2008 United Kingdom

Arrests follow seizure of fake goods Four men were arrested in counterfeit goods seized in a raid on a warehouse in Price Street, Birkenhead. A joint operation between Wirral and Lancashire Trading Standards, Revenue and Customs and Merseyide Police acted on information from clothing industry sources and seized fake goods to the value of £500,000 in the operation last Tuesday. WIRRAL GLOBE (BEBINGTON & BROMBOROUGH EDITION) 30/04/2008 UK

£1/2Million in eBay fakes seized More than £1/2m worth of counterfeit goods due to be sold on the eBay auction site have been seized from a warehouse in Birkenhead. Wirral Council’s trading standards team were tipped off by colleagues in Lancashire about the warehouse in Price Street. BIRKENHEAD NEWS 30/04/2008 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: March 2008

Fakes fund sex traffic Gangsters are using the profits from selling counterfeit cigarettes to traffic foreign women into the Scottish sex trade, police have warned. They ship millions of fake cigarettes from the Far East hidden in goods such as furniture - to sell on the street. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 01/03/2008 United Kingdom

Fake brands more than just a fashion rip-off Speakers at the recent Protect the Brand-fighting the copycats and fakes conference in London, urged fashion and textile professionals to unite to dispel the consumer myth that buying fake fashion merchandise is a victimless purchase. Delegates heard how the $900 billion global counterfeit industry is driven by unscrupulous, highly organised criminal and terrorists enterprises who exploit thousands of workers worldwide. LAUNDRY & CLEANING TODAY 01/03/2008 United Kingdom

Jailed for smuggling 22 million cigarettes Two Liverpool men who smuggled more than 22 million counterfeit cigarettes into the country were today behind bars. Alfred Chapple, 55, and his brother-in-law, William McDermott, 51 used glassware, potatoes and wool to disguise cigarettes illegally brought in from Greece, Cyprus and China. LIVERPOOL ECHO 01/03/2008 United Kingdom

The Fake Trade Channel 4, 8pm First of two films by director Nick Hornby (not the novelist) on the fastest-growing crime of modern times - counterfeiting. The cheap "Rolex" at the market and the "Prada" jeans for a tanner all come from somewhere, and it’s not the back of a lorry. TELEVISION & RADIO (SUPP. TO THE DAILY TELEGRAPH) 01/03/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeiters target UKs top value vodka Counterfeiters have been targeting independents in a highly sophisticated scam involving fake bottles of Britain’s biggest-selling value vodka brand Glens. Counterfeit bottles of Glens vodka have been found on sale by 24 local authorities in England, found in Scotland and one in Wales. GROCER 01/03/2008 United Kingdom

Pirate who tried to shop other dealers A computer repairman who ripped off his customers and Microsoft has been told to do unpaid work for the community as punishment. Andrew Largent was caught after he alerted Trading Standards to the illegal dealings of other computer traders. Largent admitted sticking certificates of authenticity he had peeled off legitimate computers on to his duds, South East Suffolk Magistrates Court heard. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 04/03/2008 United Kingdom

£2m of fake goods seized by Gardai in day of raids targeting £2m of fake goods were seized by Gardai in a day of raids targeting criminal gangs. Gardai and customs officers who seized a massive £2m haul of counterfeit goods will now target the assets of the 15-strong crime gang believed to have been behind the racket. After a five-month investigation they carried out 23 searches around Dublin yesterday and Gardai had to hire a warehouse to store all of the confiscate items. INDEPENDENT, THE 04/03/2008 United Kingdom

Bent hair strengtheners alert Internet shoppers have been warned by local Trading Standards officers to be on their guard after a local woman was duped into buying bent hair strengtheners. The woman bought her new Jk4 Hot Pink GHDs from eBay but was told by the makers that they couldn’t be registered, as they were counterfeit. AYR ADVERTISER 11/03/2008 United Kingdom

Fake seller fined A market trader has been hit for thousands of pounds after selling counterfeit tracksuits. Mark Grainger, 37, of Essex, pleaded guilty to six offences under the Trade Marks Act for selling the goods at Wembley Market. WEMBLEY & KINGSBURY TIMES 13/03/2008 United Kingdom

Spared jail over fake suits A businessman who made hundreds of thousands of pounds selling counterfeit motor biking leathers on the Internet auction site eBay has escaped jail. Alan Routledge, of the Avenue, Washington Village, sold the top-of-the-range leather suits and generated an annual turnover of 4000,000 through his company Click2Buy, operating out of premises at Tesco Business Park in Jarrow. SUNDERLAND ECHO 14/03/2008 United Kingdom SOUTH SHIELDS GAZETTE 14/03/2008 United Kingdom

Burberry imitators sentenced for fashion crime of the century A trio who ripped off an international fashion house have been sentenced to a total of 28 months in jail. Alptekin Telci, from Tottenham, Bulent Imre and Amram Braha were sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court last Thursday for buying and selling shoes that infringed the Burberry trademark. TOTTENHAM & WOOD GREEN ADVERTISER 19/03/2008 United Kingdom

Trio sentenced after raid lands 1m of fake shoes Three men have been sentenced for their part in one of the biggest fashion crimes of the century. Amram Braha, of Grants Hill, Essex, and Bulent Imre and Alptekin Telci, of Northumberland Grove, Tottenham, were sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court after attempting to sell 133,000 pairs of fake Burberry shoes with a street value of over £1million. ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 19/03/2008 United Kingdom ENFIELD ADVERTISER 19/03/2008 United Kingdom ENFIELD GAZETTE 20/03/2008 United Kingdom

Trader told to pay £20k A businessman who sold counterfeit designer clothing on eBay was yesterday ordered to hand over £20,000 or serve 12 months in jail. LIVERPOOL DAILY POST (WELSH EDITION) 20/03/2008 United Kingdom

Warning to public over fake fags Counterfeit cigarettes, containing far higher amounts of dangerous chemical than in genuine brands, are being sold over counter in shops in the Perth area. DUNDEE EVENING TELEGRAPH 20/03/2008 United Kingdom

Are you faking it? Around 200,000 counterfeit mobile products, cheap imitations of products by the big five manufacturers, were sized in the UK last year, many made in sophisticated underground factories in China an d Hong Kong. MOBILE NEWS 24/03/2008 United Kingdom

Illegal tobacco swoop on pubs Thousands of illegal cigarettes have been seized in raids across Wigan. Customs and trading standards officers hauled in more than 28,000 cigarettes and 3kg of hand-rolling tobacco from pubs, clubs and shops. WIGAN EVENING POST 26/03/2008 United Kingdom WIGAN REPORTER 27/03/2008 United Kingdom

Warnings over fake vodka Trading standards chiefs in Wigan today issued a warning after bottles of chemical-rid-den fake vodka were found on sale. Officers swooped after a tip-off from a shopper who spotted the bottles in an off- licence in Leigh. WIGAN EVENING POST 27/03/2008 United Kingdom

Celtic guard sold fake gear A Celtic Park security guard caught selling fake designer goods at work has been fined 360. Marie Milne, 48, was caught with fake Louis Vuitton bags, purses and wallets and Gucci money clips and key rings in the Parkhead security room in November 2006. GLASGOW EVENING TIMES 27/03/2008 United Kingdom

Fake vodka found at off-licence Bottles of fake vodka have been found on sale in Leigh. Following a complaint from a member of the public, trading standards officers visited an off-licence in the town and a small number of 70cl bottles of counterfeit Glens Vodka were seized. The incident follows recent reposts of similar bottles being found on sale across the country. BOLTON EVENING NEWS 27/03/2008 United Kingdom

28,000 Counterfeit cigs seized in raids More than 28,000 smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes have been seized in raids s across the borough. A visit to a number of addresses in the area by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers and Wigan Trading Standards last Thursday resulted in the cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco being seized. LEIGH REPORTER 27/03/2008 United Kingdom

Cigarette bandit is jailed for 4 years A smuggler who brought 2.5 million cigarettes into Scotland, dodging nearly £500, 000 in tax, was jailed for four years yesterday. Stephen Mclean, 45, of Blantyre, Lanarkshire, illegally imported a million counterfeit Embassy Regal cigarettes from China and the same number of the Palace King Size brand from Tenerife. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 29/03/2008 United Kingdom

Fake trainers seized in swoop More than 100 pairs of trainers worth £18,000 were seized in Blackburn as part of a huge crackdown on counterfeit goods. After a tip-off police and trading standards officers raided a house in Holland Street and found 108 pairs of fake adidas Y3 and Nike Air Max trainers. They were investigating the sale of trainers on websites like eBay. LANCASHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 29/03/2008 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: February 2008

Counterfeit goods charges The case against a man accused of selling and possessing counterfeit goods has been adjourned. Isran Khan, 21, of Whealtley Street Parkfield, Wolverhampton, had previously pleaded not guilty to 12 breaches of the Trade Marks Act at Welshpool Magistrates' Court. Khan is accused of selling and possessing £50,000 worth of clothing with fake trademark logos in Newtown and Churchstoke between February 20 and June 12. POWYS COUNTY TIMES & EXPRESS (MONTGOMERYSHIRE EDITION) 01/02/2008 UK

Fake vodka warning Drinkers have been warned to be on their guard against bottles of fake vodka which could make them go blind. Hertfordshire Trading Standards urged residents this week to be on the lookout for cheap 70cl bottles of counterfeit Glens Vodka. HERTFORDSHIRE MERCURY SERIES 01/02/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit goods seized More than 10,000 counterfeit goods with a street value of more than £100,000 have been seized during a raid in Birmingham. WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY) WEST MID EXPRESS&STAR (M-F) 01/02/2008 United Kingdom

Fake goods seized in raids More than 10,000 counterfeit goods have been seized in raids on six addresses in Birmingham. EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS 02/02/2008 United Kingdom

Payback time for this trader A market trader who was found guilty of selling fake clothing on Bedford market lost his appeal against a half million pound confiscation order last Thursday at the London Court of Appeal. BEDFORDSHIRE ON SUNDAY (SERIES) 03/02/2008 United Kingdom

Inside the Pirates Lair Fake trainers, illegal porn and dodgy DVDs are some of the many items seized by trading standards if Aladdin were an illicit street trader or a pornographer, his cave would look like this. SWINDON EVENING ADVERTISER 05/02/2008 United Kingdom

Fake goods seized in town raids Fraud officers have confiscated counterfeit goods worth more than 30,000 in Darlington in the past 18 months. Designer handbags, trainers, Rolex watches and football shirts have been all seized by the borough councils trading standards officers. DARLINGTON, AYCLIFFE & SEDGEFIELD ADVERTISER 06/02/2008 United Kingdom

Dangerous vodka warning Drinkers are being warned to be on their guard for sales of counterfeit Glens Vodka that could cause blindness and even death. Cheap 70cl bottles of the spirit, which has not been properly distilled, has been found at five locations in nearby Bucks and has sparked a national investigation. HEMEL HEMPSTEAD GAZETTE 06/02/2008 United Kingdom

Bottles of fake vodka seized Dangerous counterfeit vodka which could cause blindness has been seized. Trading standards officers will not say exactly where they found the fake Glens Vodka, but confirmed it was a licensed bar, pub or off licence. WELWYN GARDEN CITY & HATFIELD REVIEW 07/02/2008 United Kingdom

Unsporting Sutton: A market trader has admitted selling fake sportswear in the town centre. Larry Macatonia, 52, pleaded guilty to seven counts of selling fake clothing including shoes, from his stall in May and September last year, Sutton Magistrates Court heard last Thursday. SUTTON & EPSOM ADVERTISER 08/02/2008 United Kingdom

Warning as deadly drink found in stores Bottles of cheap knockoff vodka, which could lead to a blindness and even death if drunk, have been discovered in Cheshunt and Waltham Cross. Since Hertfordshire Trading Standards sent out a warning for residents to be wary of purchasing the counterfeit Glens Vodka, officers have seized 120 bottles from 20 separate premises in the county. HODDESDON & BROXBOURNE MERCURY 08/02/2008 United Kingdom

Dangerous phony vodka drink seized Hazardous and potentially toxic counterfeit vodka has been seized from the shelves of shops in Northamptonshire. More than 50 fake bottles of Glens Vodka containing 10 times the level of methanol normally found in the drink have been confiscated by trading standards officers in Kettering and Corby. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 08/02/2008 United Kingdom NORTHANTS EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 08/02/2008 United Kingdom NORTHANTS ON SUNDAY 10/02/2008 United Kingdom

Warning over danger vodka Three bottles of dangerous counterfeit vodka have been seized by north-east trading standards officers. The illicit alcohol, which could pose a serious health risk, has been uncovered in county Durham, and officials are trying to trace the source of the supply. NORTHERN ECHO, THE (SERIES) 09/02/2008 United Kingdom

Killer vodka risk to drinkers People are warned to be on their guard against potentially lethal vodka. The counterfeit booze, labeled as Glens Vodka, poses a "serious health risk" to drinkers, say trading standards chiefs. HARTLEPOOL MAIL 09/02/2008 United Kingdom

PMs vow to stop evil counterfeit cigs trade Gordon Brown has vowed to take action against South Yorkshires "evil" trade in counterfeit cigarettes. The Prime Minister made his comments after being told in the Commons the soaring sales of fake fags across the region was a "ticking health time bomb". SHEFFIELD STAR, THE (SERIES) 09/02/2008 United Kingdom

Drinkers warned against dodgy vodka Drinkers are being warned to beware after fake vodka which could kill or cause serious health problems was found on sale. Three bottles of booze containing what may be methanol have been seized by Trading Standards officers in County Durham, and investigations are under way to find the source. SUNDERLAND ECHO 11/02/2008 United Kingdom

Search unearths dangerous vodka Bottles of potentially lethal cut-price vodka have been discovered on sale in shops in Cheshunt and Waltham Cross. County trading standards officers have seized 120 bottles from 20 separate premises in Hertfordshire after warning residents to be wary of purchasing the counterfeit Glens Vodka. LEA VALLEY STAR 13/02/2008 United Kingdom

Warning over fake condoms Counterfeit condoms have been seized from a shop in Blackburn. And Trading Standards revealed they were the first such fakes ever found in the North of England. LANCASHIRE EVENING TELEGRAPH (SERIES) 13/02/2008 United Kingdom

Warning over counterfeit vodka sale Counterfeit vodka has been found on sale in stores across south east Northumberland. Results of recent analysis carried out by another trading standards service concluded that the strange taste is the result of an unknown chemical composition making the vodka unfit for consumption. BLYTH, MORPETH & WANSBECK NEWS POST LEADER (SERIES) 14/02/2008 United Kingdom

Third conviction for fake goods A market trader who repeatedly sold counterfeit goods lost all his £8,000 of stock when armed robbers stole his van in Northampton and set fire to it. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE & ECHO 14/02/2008 United Kingdom

Today’s Highlights Britains Favourite Fakes: BBC2, 7.00pm; not Wales Max Flint fronts this edition of the Money Programme, which investigates the growing market for counterfeit goods in the UK, from familiar items such as DVDs and designer clothes to more surreally, counterfeit toothpaste and condoms. DAILY TELEGRAPH, THE 15/02/2008 United Kingdom

Vodka warning Cheap and dangerous counterfeit Glens Vodka has been recovered by trading standards from shops throughout Hertfordshire and as far apart as Rickmansworth and Stevenage. WATFORD FREE OBSERVER 15/02/2008 United Kingdom

Designer duds seized in raid by police Fake designer clothing and footwear were seized in a police raid in Cowes, a court heard. Counterfeit T-shirts, baseball caps, tops, trainers and boots ripping off well-known brands such as Diesel, Fred Perry, Timberland, Nike, Henri Lloyd and Ralph Lauren were discovered when officers swooped on a property in the Arcade. ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY PRESS 15/02/2008 United Kingdom

Warning about dangerous illicit vodka Three bottles of counterfeit vodka have been seized by trading standards officers. The illicit booze, which could pose a serious health risk, has been uncovered in County Durham and officials are now trying to trace its source. DURHAM ADVERTISER 16/02/2008 United Kingdom CONSETT & STANLEY ADVERTISER / CHESTER-LE-STREET ADVERTISER

Fake drug gangs foiled by pollen Call it CSI: Malaria. It has a plot to rival any TV crime drama an elite medical team has hooked up with Interpol and the Chinese security services to crack down on the deadly trade in counterfeit drugs. NEW SCIENTIST 16/02/2008 United Kingdom

Bottles seized over fears that vodka could be fake Consumers in Norfolk are being warned about suspected counterfeit vodka after Norfolk County Council trading standards officers seized bottles on sale in the county. Officers had been carrying out spot checks at retail outlets across Norfolk, following warning elsewhere in England about counterfeit vodka, when they seized what is believed to be counterfeit Glens Vodka from a store in Dereham. NORWICH EVENING NEWS 16/02/2008 United Kingdom

Crackdown on fake vodka Fake vodka found in Harpenden contained ten times the usual level of dangerous methanol. Analysis of counterfeit Glens Vodka seized by trading standards officers shows exceptionally high, although not life-threatening, levels of the poisonous substance. ST ALBANS & HARPENDEN REVIEW 20/02/2008 United Kingdom

Pair guilty of selling fake designer shoes Two men have been found guilty of selling fake Burberry shoes - which they bought from a supplier for just 67p each. The pair appeared at Wood Green Crown Court after a swoop by Enfield Council's Trading Standards on a warehouse in Edmonton. ENFIELD INDEPENDENT 20/02/2008 United Kingdom

10,000 raid on fake designer goods stalls Profits from thousands of fake designer goods sold on Camden markets every month go to fund the human slave trade, says the boroughs top trading standards officer. Over 900 illegal counterfeit goods with a street value of more than £10,000 were seized from just four stalls in Buck Street market last month in a joint raid by police and the council officers. CAMDEN GAZETTE 20/02/2008 United Kingdom

Fake vodka alert to drinkers Drinkers are being warned to beware after fake vodka which could kill or cause serious health problems was found on sale. Three bottles of booze containing what may be methanol have been seized by Trading Standards officers in County Durham, and investigations are under way to find the source. PETERLEE STAR 21/02/2008 United Kingdom

Trading standards stamping out counterfeit alcohol Counterfeit vodka has been discovered for sale on the shelves of at least five stores in Peterborough. Trading Standards officers are warning businesses and residents to be on their guard after the fake bottles of Glens Vodka 70cl were spotter. PETERBOROUGH HERALD & POST 22/02/2008 United Kingdom

Pirate trader avoids prison A housebound woman has escaped punishment for the £45,000 pirate eBay business she ran from her home computer because she is ill. Susan Joyce Siadatan netted £27,000 from hundreds of customers as she sold fake designer clothes and other items on the internet auction website for 17 months, York Crown Court heard. YORK EVENING PRESS 22/02/2008 United Kingdom

Shopkeeper in court for selling fake clothing A shopkeeper has been ordered to carry out 120 hours of community service after pleading guilty to selling fake goods. Mirza Arfan Beg was prosecuted at Teesside Magistrates Court yesterday for selling counterfeit Bench and Playboy clothes from his shop - Top Girl, in the Dundas Street in shops Centre. NORTHERN ECHO, THE (SERIES) 22/02/2008 United Kingdom

Boot sale trader spared prison over fake goods An Ipswich business man who sold fake goods at car boot sales has avoided jail. Limousine business owner Mark Beadsworth bought hundreds of pairs of trainers which he believed were Nike brand and dozens of other sports goods he believed had genuine designer labels. IPSWICH EVENING STAR (SERIES) 26/02/2008 United Kingdom

Critics choice The fake trade 8.00-9.00C4. Sure, we all fancy some knockoff electronics, but according to the first in this two-part documentary, that’s just the tip of the counterfeiting iceberg. TIME OUT 27/02/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit components are threat to UK industry Current customs and import controls are failing to tackle the rising number of counterfeit components entering the UK, says industry body intellect. ELECTRONICS WEEKLY 27/02/2008 United Kingdom

Italian police bust fake Ferrari racket There has long been a market for fake Rolex watches, Prada bags and Lois Vuitton luggage. But how about a Ferrari for less than the price of a Ford Focus? Police on Sicily have broken up a counterfeiting business with a difference. It was selling copies of the world's most dashing car - outwardly perfect, down to the prancing horse emblem on the bonnet for as little as £20,000 (315,300). GUARDIAN, THE 29/02/2008 United Kingdom

Mafia Motors Fake Ferraris were seized after police smashed a multi-million-pound mob ring. More than 40 motors were found in raids stretching from Milan to Rome and Mafia capital Palermo on Sicily. SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD 29/02/2008 United Kingdom

PRESS CUTTINGS: January 2008

Component counterfeiting An increasingly serious and complex issue component counterfeiting is fats becoming the number one problem confronting the world’s electronics industry. Share Knowledge seems our best defense. COMPONENTS IN ELECTRONICS 01/01/2008 United Kingdom

Combating piracy co-operations is key In the second of two articles, Adam Fletcher warns that the supply network and government agencies need to work together if they are to combat the growing threat of counterfeiting. COMPONENTS IN ELECTRONICS 01/01/2008 United Kingdom

Opinion Piece Americas Watchdog Warns about Drug & Tobacco Counterfeiters in China & India the Dire Need to stop them before its too late. PRODUCT & IMAGE SECURITY 01/01/2008 United Kingdom

Market trader sold fake trainers A market trader who sold fake trainers escaped jail this week. Norman Henderson, 56, was caught by trading standard watchdogs selling counterfeit training shoes and clothes on stalls in Cramlington and in Stanley, County Durham. He was given a suspend prison sentence on Monday. Counterfeit goods seized from Norman Henderson will be destroyed and he was also ordered to foot a £500 court costs order. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE JOURNAL, THE 08/01/2008 / NORTHUMBERLAND CHRONICLE EXTRA 08/01/2008 / CONSETT & STANLEY ADVERTISER 12/01/2008 BLYTH, MORPETH & WANSBECK NEWS POST LEADER (SERIES) 12/01/2008 UK

Dud goods seized in raid on market A massive haul of dodgy designer clothes worth more than £150,000 have been seized in a raid on Barking Market. Barking and Dagenham Councils trading standards team have just revealed that they chose the markets busiest time of year – the week before Christmas - to launch the undercover operation, which took place on Tuesday, December 18. The raid, which was supported by the police and street wardens, targeted two stalls suspected of selling counterfeit brands, including Nike, Ralph Lauren, Fred Perry and Armani and involved the removal of 10,000 items of clothing. ILFORD & REDBRIDGE POST 09/01/2008 United Kingdom BARKING & DAGENHAM POST SERIES

Man who dealt in illicit vodka sentenced A man who was found in a shed where counterfeit vodka was distilled and bottled "for two men with Northern accents" and "the lads" escaped a custodial prison sentence at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court yesterday. IRISH TIMES (EIRE) 17/01/2008 United Kingdom

Trading standards office issues warning over counterfeit vodka Licensees and local people are being warned not to buy counterfeit bottles of Glen's vodka. The illegal 70cl bottles have been found at three locations, just across the Oxfordshire border in Buckinghamshire. BICESTER ADVERTISER 18/01/2008 United Kingdom

Man jailed after raid uncovers £1m of fake shoes A Tedbridge man has been sentenced to ten months in prison for his part in one of the biggest fashion crimes of the century. Amram Braha, from Gants Hill, was tried alongside two other men after they attempted to sell 133,000 pairs of fake Burberry shoes with a street valued of over £1million. WANSTEAD & WOODFORD GUARDIAN 20/03/2008 United Kingdom

Health warning over counterfeit smokes Dangers of buying counterfeit tobacco were highlighted after a haul of more than 13,000 cigarettes was seized from a milkman in Dudley. Customs officers caught the milkman while he was doing his deliveries. EXPRESS & STAR DUDLEY (WEST MIDLANDS) 22/01/2008 United Kingdom BIRMINGHAM EXPRESS & STAR 22/01/2008 United Kingdom

Fake vodka could be dangerous Trading standards are warning licensees and the public to be on the look out for cheap "knock off" Vodka. 70cl bottles of counterfeit Glens Vodka has been found at three locations in Buckinghamshire. LEIGHTON BUZZARD OBSERVER 22/01/2008 United Kingdom

Warning over counterfeit bottles of vodka Bucks residents have been warned not to buy cheap knocked off alcohol after counterfeit bottles of Glens Vodka were found in five locations, including Aylesbury. Trading standards officer said the counterfeit spirit has not been through the company’s strict distilling process so the strength and effect can not be certified by the labels alone. BUCKS HERALD, THE 23/01/2008 United Kingdom

Probe on haul of fake trainers At least 75,000 worth of counterfeit trainers has been seized by trading standards officers in the Black Country. Hundreds of fake Nike trainers filled the rooms from floor to ceiling in two houses in Oldbury. WOLVERHAMPTON (CITY)WEST MID EXPRESS&STAR (M-F) 24/01/2008 UK

Smuggled cigarettes a health peril Counterfeit and smuggled tobacco being bought and sold in Barnsley will be discussed by local MPs and council watchdogs tomorrow. MPs Eric Ilsley, Mick Clapham and Jeff Ennis will attend the Health and Adult Social Service Scrutiny working group looking at work to tackle the problem. BARNSLEY STAR 24/01/2008 United Kingdom

Counterfeit trader spared jail A Bovingdon Market trader received a one year suspended prison sentence for selling counterfeit films and games, a court heard on Thursday. Chris Constantine, 50 who was found guilty of distributing films and software that infringed the rights of the copyright holders between May and November 2005, was also sentenced to 280 hours of unpaid community work and made the subject of a supervision order, at St Albans Crown Court. WATFORD OBSERVER, THE 25/01/2008 United Kingdom

Fake goods a real worry Designer handbags, trainers, Rolex watches and football shirts have been seized by trading standards officers as part of a crackdown on fake goods. The items are among a range of goods, worth tens of thousands of pounds, recovered in Darlington in recent months. The items will now be recycled or destroyed. TEESSIDE EVENING GAZETTE 31/01/2008 United Kingdom

Pirate goods are the answer to a prayer! They say faith will move mountains. And in this case its mountains of counterfeit goods. Step forward local charity His Church. The Bedfordshire-based organisation has come up with an innovative idea that ticks all the eco and ethical boxes - it recycles counterfeit goods and redistributes them to the poor and needy. It also salvages food and other goods that otherwise would have been consigned to landfill. LUTON & DUNSTABLE HERALD & POST 31/01/2008 United Kingdom

Beware of counterfeit cheap vodka Hertfordshire Trading Standards is urging residents to be wary of purchasing counterfeit Glens Vodka which could cause blindness. Cheap "knock-off" 70cl bottles of the spirit, which has not been through the company’s strict distilling process, has been found at five locations in neighboring Buckinghamshire. WATFORD FREE OBSERVER 31/01/2008 United Kingdom

Rogue traders goods crushed Hundreds of cheap imitation sunglasses, computer games, CDs and DVDs, with a street value of about £5,000, have been crushed by Isle of Wight council trading standards officers in a clampdown on rogue traders. SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO (SERIES) 31/01/2008 United Kingdom

Police seize phony jewellery Sevenoaks police have seized a hoard of fake gold jewellery which was being sold in the town on Tuesday. Fourteen rings and two necklaces were confiscated by neighbourhood officers after they followed and stopped a group of Romanians while they were driving away from the High Street in two foreign registered cars. SEVENOAKS CHRONICLE (SERIES) 31/01/2008 United Kingdom

Fake goods: Man in court A man has appeared in court accused of selling counterfeit Newcastle United merchandise. John Roberts faces eight charges of selling copyrighted items. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EVENING CHRONICLE (SERIES) 19/03/2008 United Kingdom