More than £7.5 million of suspected counterfeit clothing, watches and perfume has been seized by police during raids in Manchester.
The operation, which involved 100 police officers and staff, saw three premises in Cheetham Hill searched and 15 people arrested on Wednesday.
Inside the interlinked premises in the road known as ‘counterfeit street’, were clothes with logos from brands including North Face, Nike, Boss and YSL, as well as bottles of perfume and aftershave.
Of those arrested, 11 were detained for offences relating to the distribution of counterfeit goods and four for immigration offences, the City of London Police said.
More than £7.5 million of suspected counterfeit clothing, watches and perfume has been seized by police during raids in Manchester
Officers worked through the night to clear the three units, with shoes, handbags, wallets and sunglasses also among the items seized, police said.
The operation was led by City of London Police’s intellectual property crime unit (PIPCU) and Greater Manchester Police.
It marks the latest plan to fight back against criminals in Manchester, which has been dubbed the ‘counterfeit capital’ of the UK.
The street where the roads took place, Bury New Road, reportedly received its nickname because of the number of shops which have been found to sell fake goods.
The operation, which involved 100 police officers and staff, saw three premises in Cheetham Hill searched and 15 people arrested on Wednesday
Inside the interlinked premises in the road known as ‘counterfeit street’, were clothes with logos from brands including North Face, Nike, Boss and YSL, as well as bottles of perfume and aftershave
The search warrant was carried out following a previous operation involving the sale and distribution of counterfeit items online, police said.
Detective Superintendent Pete Ratcliffe, of City of London Police, told Manchester Evening News: ‘What we are trying to do is get beyond the immediate foot soldiers – and get to the Mr Bigs behind this.
‘The intention is to follow up the hierarchy and make a big impact on the people who are making serious money out of this.’
Officers worked through the night to clear the three units, with shoes, handbags, wallets and sunglasses also among the items seized, police said
The operation was led by City of London Police’s intellectual property crime unit (PIPCU) and Greater Manchester Police
It marks the latest plan to fight back against criminals in Manchester, which has been dubbed the ‘counterfeit capital’ of the UK
PIPCU’s police staff investigator Charlotte Beattie, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘The counterfeit goods business regularly helps to fund other types of serious organised crime.
‘An individual may think that when buying counterfeit goods they are only affecting a multi-million pound brand, but in reality they are helping to fund organised criminal activity. ‘
Counterfeit goods can pose a health risk to consumers as they usually do not go through legal health and safety checks, she added.
The search warrant was carried out following a previous operation involving the sale and distribution of counterfeit items online, police said
The street where the roads took place, Bury New Road, reportedly received its ‘counterfeit street’ nickname because of the number of shops which have been found to sell fake goods
Detective Superintendent Pete Ratcliffe, of City of London Police, told Manchester Evening News : ‘What we are trying to do is get beyond the immediate foot soldiers – and get to the Mr Bigs behind this’
Police also seized mobile phones and cash from those who were arrested during the raid
Mobile phones and cash were seized from those arrested during the raid, with the investigation still ongoing, police said.
Chief inspector Kirsten Buggy, of Greater Manchester Police’s North Manchester division, said: ‘Yesterday’s operation is one of the largest of its kind ever carried out in the area and has taken a meticulous amount of planning and preparation.’
Phil Lewis, director general of the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, said: ‘These Manchester traders selling counterfeit goods are blatantly defrauding consumers.
‘They’re harming legitimate businesses and making absolutely no contribution toward public services or the UK economy.’
He added: ‘We urge consumers to stop buying goods from these types of premises and think twice about the goods they buy online, because counterfeit goods are often of poor quality and, more worryingly, can be unsafe and even dangerous.’
Police were seen trying to smash down the doors of the shops during the raids
They also used a circular saw to try to cut through shop shutters as they were lifted from inside