Warning ahead of Euros after 200 suspected fake England shirts seized in North Shields

Almost 200 suspected fake England shirts and 27,000 illegal cigarettes have been seized from a property in North Tyneside.

The goods were found during a raid at an address in the Meadow Well area of North Shields.

The operation followed community intelligence that suggested counterfeit goods may have been being sold from the property.

Inside, officers discovered almost 200 suspected fake England football tops with a value of £17,000, along with 27,000 counterfeit and/or non-duty paid cigarettes and around 200 unlawful vapes. A large quantity of illicit hand rolling tobacco was also seized.

The cigarettes and vapes had a shared street value of approximately £19,600, a spokesperson for Northumbria Police said.

The raid was carried out by officers from North Shields Neighbourhood Policing Team and North Tyneside Trading Standards Team.

Neighbourhood Sergeant for North Shields, James Younas, of Northumbria Police, said: “These items might seem harmless, and you might be tempted to buy them, but we often see the sale linked to wider types of offending and, often, organised crime.

“With the European Championships starting today, we’d urge people to be careful and check you are buying merchandise from reputable sources.”

An investigation into the seized items is ongoing alongside Trading Standards officers.

Joanne Lee, Head of Public Protection, Emergency Planning, and Community Safety at North Tyneside Council, said: "These seizures highlight the critical work our Trading Standards team does in protecting the community from fake merchandise and illegal tobacco products.

“All cigarettes are harmful and vapes are effective in helping people to quit smoking, but by purchasing non-compliant goods, buyers are putting themselves at greater risk."

Have you heard our new podcast Talking Politics? Every week Tom, Robert and Anushka dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda…