Police seize £40,000 worth of counterfeit items from a market in Manchester

More than £40,000-worth of counterfeit clothes, bags and shoes have been seized by police from a market.

Officers visited two stalls after receiving intelligence fake items were being sold at Smithfield Market in Openshaw, in East Manchester, on 3 March.

They seized 17 large bags of counterfeit clothing and footwear from one stall, which Greater Manchester Police (GMP) believes to be worth around £6,800.

Officers also confiscated 69 bags of fake clothing and 48 large boxes of footwear, thought to be worth more than £33,000.

Suitable items will be repurposed and donated to homeless charities.

The force encourage shoppers to stay away from buying fake designer clothing and not "waste money on something that is harmful".

Inspector Dan Cullum of Operation Vulcan at GMP, said: "I am pleased the joint action on Sunday has taken out yet another counterfeit operation in Manchester.

"I urge members of the public to steer clear of buying counterfeit items - at best you will waste your money on a sub-standard product, at worst you may purchase something that is harmful.

"Counterfeit items are unregulated, and the counterfeiters have no regard for your health and safety.

"You also don’t know what your money is funding – this is often the tip of the iceberg and the people running counterfeit operations are also often involved in far more nefarious crime from human exploitation to drugs.

"Please spend your hard-earned money elsewhere.”

Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods said: "We are determined to leave no corner of the city untouched in our resolve to rid the streets of counterfeit goods.

"Counterfeit crime is not victimless.

"It causes genuine and long-lasting harm to our communities and I would ask our residents, even in these difficult times, not to put money into the hands of criminals for the sake of a bargain."