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Enormous fake designer clothing haul seized

Fake designer clothes worth about £750,000 have been seized at Stansted Airport.

In a month-long operation the UK Border Agency discovered approximately 15,000 items of counterfeit clobber.

The haul included brands like Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Hugo Boss, La Martina and Fred Perry.

[See also: Versace bans sandblasting jeans to protect the health of workers]


Seized boxes at Standard Airport.
Seized boxes at Standard Airport.



The goods had been shipped over from Turkey as freight, and were discovered in June. They’ve now been confirmed as fake by the rights holders.

Sarah Wolstenholme, the UK Border Agency's assistant director at Stansted Airport, said the smuggler’s techniques for bringing the dodgy menswear into the UK was not clever.

“We often see smugglers adopting quite sophisticated techniques in an attempt to evade detection, but in these three instances there was little subtlety involved.

Men's Gucci trainers and Paul's Boutique jacket among the fake items seized.
Men's Gucci trainers and Paul's Boutique jacket among the fake items seized.



“The items were all listed simply as courier material, with no commercial value. The fact that such limited information had been provided immediately attracted suspicion.”

She added: “Make no mistake, the manufacture and sale of counterfeit goods is not a victimless crime. The profit that smugglers make from these items is often recycled into other more serious forms of criminality.

Giorgio Armani and Hugo Boss polo shirts included in the boxes of counterfeit goods.
Giorgio Armani and Hugo Boss polo shirts included in the boxes of counterfeit goods.



“Many people enjoy finding a bargain but counterfeit goods are just the tip of the criminal iceberg. Quite simply, if a price appears too good to be true, whether found on the internet or at a car boot sale, it probably is.”

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