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22/03/2010
UK and US Counterfeit Ring Smashed
The largest haul of counterfeit goods in UK history has been seized by police as part of a joint operation by authorities in London and America.
Six men have been arrested as part of the trans-Atlantic investigation into sophisticated organised crime.
US forces also held nine others in connection with the seizure.
More than 60 officers from the US Immigration & Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Economic Crime Directorate seized approximately 50,000 items of counterfeit clothing, footwear, handbags and hair straighteners during searches at more than 30 premises in the Greater London area.
The multi-million pound haul included brands such as Nike, Uggs, Gucci, Adidas, Versace, Ralph Lauren and GHD. During the searches a total of £350,000 in cash was also discovered.
The nine suspects being held are alleged to have illegally smuggled a total of 120,000 pairs of counterfeit Nike shoes, 500,000 counterfeit Coach handbags, 10,000 pairs of counterfeit Coach and Gucci shoes and 500 counterfeit Cartier wrist watches into the US.
Police said initial assessments suggest that a "significant criminal network has been disrupted" and that officers have made one of the largest seizures of counterfeit goods in the UK.
The six others were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud.
City of London Police Commissioner, Mike Bowron said: "By working in close collaboration with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency and the UK Border Agency we have made a significant break through in this joint investigation."
ICE said it has been monitoring the movement of shipping containers being used to smuggle counterfeit goods from China and Malaysia into both the US and UK.
ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton said: "The smuggling and trafficking of counterfeit goods is a global problem.
"ICE regularly works shoulder-to-shoulder with our law enforcement partners around the world such as the City of London Police to identify, infiltrate and disrupt transnational criminal organizations that rob legitimate industries of business.
"Only through our combined efforts will we be able to successfully confront this international challenge."
(PR/BMcC)
Six men have been arrested as part of the trans-Atlantic investigation into sophisticated organised crime.
US forces also held nine others in connection with the seizure.
More than 60 officers from the US Immigration & Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Economic Crime Directorate seized approximately 50,000 items of counterfeit clothing, footwear, handbags and hair straighteners during searches at more than 30 premises in the Greater London area.
The multi-million pound haul included brands such as Nike, Uggs, Gucci, Adidas, Versace, Ralph Lauren and GHD. During the searches a total of £350,000 in cash was also discovered.
The nine suspects being held are alleged to have illegally smuggled a total of 120,000 pairs of counterfeit Nike shoes, 500,000 counterfeit Coach handbags, 10,000 pairs of counterfeit Coach and Gucci shoes and 500 counterfeit Cartier wrist watches into the US.
Police said initial assessments suggest that a "significant criminal network has been disrupted" and that officers have made one of the largest seizures of counterfeit goods in the UK.
The six others were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud.
City of London Police Commissioner, Mike Bowron said: "By working in close collaboration with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency and the UK Border Agency we have made a significant break through in this joint investigation."
ICE said it has been monitoring the movement of shipping containers being used to smuggle counterfeit goods from China and Malaysia into both the US and UK.
ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton said: "The smuggling and trafficking of counterfeit goods is a global problem.
"ICE regularly works shoulder-to-shoulder with our law enforcement partners around the world such as the City of London Police to identify, infiltrate and disrupt transnational criminal organizations that rob legitimate industries of business.
"Only through our combined efforts will we be able to successfully confront this international challenge."
(PR/BMcC)
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