Thousands of fake vehicle parts seized in raid

Fake car parts can damage engines as they are not rigorously tested

Thousands of "potentially lethal" fake vehicle parts have been seized in a major raid on a self-storage unit near Bristol.

An operation by South Gloucestershire Trading Standards led to the discovery of more than 3,600 counterfeit branded components worth more than £100,000.

The items included including spark plugs, oil filters and sensors that could cause fatal accidents because they haven't been rigorously safety tested like real parts.

Motorists are being urged to be extra vigilant when buying vehicle parts, particularly online or from unfamiliar suppliers.

The car parts were found in boxes near Bristol

Counterfeit vehicle parts are fake copies, designed to look like genuine parts, that are sold illegally.

Because they bypass the rigorous testing required for genuine products, they are far more likely to fail and cause accidents.

Investigations are ongoing following the South Gloucestershire raid in July, which was supported by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and enforcement teams from eight major car manufacturers.

Recent similar cases include an East London raid in September leading to the seizure of 500 counterfeit air bags and a mechanic in Lincoln warning that he is asked to fit fake parts "on a weekly basis".

A recent survey by the IPO found that one in six drivers in the UK have bought illegal parts in the last year, mostly without knowing.

Almost half of these motorists who thought the parts were genuine only found out through their garage after the part faulted.

Councillor Sean Rhodes, South Gloucestershire Council's cabinet member for Trading Standards, said counterfeit parts can be "potentially lethal".

"Our Trading Standards team, working with national partners and industry experts, has acted decisively to protect motorists and the wider public," he said.

"We urge everyone to be vigilant when buying vehicle parts, especially online, and to report anything suspicious. Safety must come first, and this seizure sends a clear message that we will not tolerate criminal activity that could put lives at risk."

How to avoid fake parts

Helen Barnham, the IPO's deputy director of enforcement said this was "anything but a victimless crime".

"This latest seizure demonstrates that criminals are continuing to exploit the use of legitimate self storage facilities across the UK to store counterfeit goods," she said.

Red flags to watch out for, according to the IPO's guidance, include vague product descriptions, poor quality packaging with misspellings, missing safety guidelines and instructions in an unexpected language.

Anyone with suspicions about a vehicle part or trader are encouraged to report these to Trading Standards.