Boss of shop selling fake Chanel handbags convicted

Trading standards officers first found a fake Chanel handbag and Nike leggings at the shop

A man who was running a shop selling up to £150,000 of fake designer goods including counterfeit Chanel handbags has been convicted.

Hamza Ali Ahmed, 32, was arrested after a raid discovered 1,500 fake football shirts, clothes and accessories at Retro Menswear in Old Church Street in Newton Heath, Manchester, in August 2023.

The shop director admitted guilty to 21 charges of possession of goods bearing a false trademark at Manchester Crown Court.

Ahmed, of St Werburgh's Road, Chorlton, was given an 18-month suspended sentence and 100 hours community service.

Manchester City Council said its trading standards officers raided the shop after a tip-off.

During an earlier undercover operation, they had been able to buy a fake Chanel handbag and a fake pair of Nike leggings.

Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon said: "We are entirely committed to rooting out these kinds of offenders and want to send a message that we will not tolerate the counterfeit trade in our city.

"I'd like to thank our officers for their diligent work in bringing this case to a successful conclusion."