Fake luxury good worth seized from Chester-le-Street storage facility

Items of clothing, trainers, bedding and perfumes estimated to be worth tens of thousands of pounds were recovered from a storage facility in Chester-le-Street. Credit: Durham County Council

More than 1,500 counterfeit luxury goods thought to be worth tens of thousands of pounds have been seized.

Trading Standards officers seized the fake designers goods from a storage facility in Chester-le-Street, in County Durham.

The items included clothing, trainers, bedding and perfumes and are believed to be imitations of trade marks including Gucci, Nike and Adidas.

The council has warned counterfeit goods can pose safety problems for consumers. Credit: Durham County Council

A Durham County Council spokesperson said: “Counterfeiting is far from being a victimless crime, having an impact on jobs in the legitimate manufacturing and retail sector.

"The trade in counterfeit goods can also be linked to other organised crime.

“Counterfeit goods can pose safety problems for consumers – with goods such as toys, cosmetics, electrical equipment and chargers, not being subjected to testing and not manufactured to meet safety standards.

“Sales via the internet and social media are popular with consumers seeking bargains for Christmas - we would urge the public to check out the retailer and only buy from reputable sources to avoid the risk of disappointment of poor quality and potentially unsafe goods being bought as gifts.”

Anyone who suspects they may have purchased counterfeit goods or to report any information can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

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