Suspect goods seized in trading standards operation

A haul of allegedly counterfeit goods has been seized from an address in Moray in a joint operation involving Moray Council trading standards officers and Police Scotland.

The raid followed a trading standards investigation into alleged sales of counterfeit goods through a secret Facebook group.

Officers recovered clothes, footwear and electrical goods at the trader’s home address, together with records which indicated a substantial level of sales.

The action follows two successful prosecutions earlier this year for sales of fake goods on Facebook.

Trading standards teams up and down the UK are seeing large numbers of counterfeit and potentially dangerous goods being offered on social media and online auction sites.

Some sellers mistakenly think that they can legally sell fake goods if they are sold as ‘replicas’ or ‘copies’. In fact, sales of fake goods are always illegal - and for good reason.

Moray Council trading standards manager Peter Adamson said: “Fake electrical goods are potentially dangerous and the manufacture and distribution of all fake goods funds organised crime that blights many lives.

“Recently the trade has gone underground using closed and secret online selling groups to evade detection. But illegal sellers attempting to avoid the attention of trading standards by using secret groups are likely to be disappointed.”

Trading standards are asking the local community to help keep Moray ‘fake free’ and shoppers are advised to purchase only from reputable sources.

Anyone with concerns about counterfeit goods should call 03454 040506 or email trading.standards@moray.gov.uk or report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.