Fake designer goods worth 'tens of thousands' seized

Items making unauthorised use of many trade marks, including Nike, were found

More than 1,500 fake designer items, believed to be worth tens of thousands of pounds, have been seized from a storage facility.

The goods, which included clothing, trainers, bedding and perfumes, were found in Chester-le-Street by trading standards officers.

There have been no arrests but one person was under investigation, Durham County Council said.

It urged people to shop from "reputable sources" to avoid "potentially unsafe" goods ahead of Christmas.

Counterfeit perfumes were also seized

The items were found as part of an ongoing council investigation into allegations of the sale of counterfeit goods.

Two large vans full of items were seized, which included counterfeits of brands such as Nike, Adidas and Gucci.

The exact quantity and value of the goods will not be known until a later stage of the investigation due to the high number of items, Durham County Council said.

'Safety problems'

A 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.”

The council added that it worked with specialist charities and de-branding organisations where possible to reuse the goods and avoid destroying them.