THIS is a stash of fake designer watches, trainers and children's toys destined for the streets of Hampshire this Christmas.
The collection is just the tip of the iceberg of a collection of 150,000 counterfeit items worth £17.7 million seized from Southampton Docks over the course of this year.
They include Rolexs, Tag Heur, Omega, Armani and Breitling products, plus baseball caps and Beats by Dr Dre headphones.
Now the UK Border Force has released pictures and footage of the consignment as part of a hardhitting campaign warning people against the dangers of purchasing counterfeit goods.
The Border Force has detained more than 24,000 consignments of fake goods in postal traffic and more than 1,900 consignments in air and sea cargo and vehicle traffic.
Once counterfeit items are detained the force’s specialist international trade teams work with the owners of big brands to establish whether or not goods are genuine. If they are fake the goods are destroyed and the rights holders can then decide whether to privately prosecute the importers.
Immigration and security minister James Brokenshire said: “Counterfeit goods leave customers out of pocket with inferior and possibly dangerous goods.
“The international trade in counterfeits is linked to serious and organised crime and undercuts honest traders, damaging our economy.
“We are determined to crack down on this criminality and have officers working 24 hours a day at ports, airports and mail sorting centres to identify these products before they can reach people’s homes.”
Border Force South regional director Carole Upshall said: “Everyone loves a bargain, but if the price appears too good to be true – either at a car boot sale, a market stall or online – it probably is.
“We are uncovering all sorts of fake goods, from beauty products to food and electrical goods.
“People should be particularly wary of buying cheap items online or from unofficial traders.”
Anyone who has been sold counterfeit goods or knows someone who is selling them should contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
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