Three arrested in Manchester raid on £1m fake clothing factory

The raid was a joint operation between Greater Manchester and City of London Police

Three men have been arrested after a factory containing £1m worth of counterfeit goods was uncovered by police in Manchester.

The factory in Cheetham Hill was set up to add fake logos to clothing ahead of them being sold in illegal local shops, Greater Manchester Police said.

Machinery and labels for counterfeit items were also found at the warehouse on Cheetham Hill Road on Wednesday.

Det Sgt Matt Donnelly said bogus trading was "not a victimless crime".

He said while the low price of items can be appealing it is part of "a much wider picture that involves money laundering, cheap labour and exploitation".

Goods worth £1m were uncovered at the Cheetham Hill warehouse, police said

"The profits individuals are making from these illegitimate businesses are used to fund serious organised crime, and with that, comes violence that is having a devastating impact on the local communities and legitimate businesses," he said.

Two men, aged 25, and a 30-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in producing counterfeit goods, police said.

The raid was part of a joint operation involving Greater Manchester Police, City of London Police's intellectual property crime unit alongside customs officials, council staff and other agencies.

The fake goods were destined for illegal shops in Cheetham Hill, police said

Det Ch Insp Gary Robinson said people who buy counterfeit designer clothes "have no way of knowing the conditions in which they were made or what the proceeds are going to fund".

"Those who coordinate the production of these items have little regard for the welfare and working conditions of the people who make them and choose to prioritise their own financial gain," he said.

"We would always urge the public to think twice before buying counterfeit designer goods and will continue to clamp down on those who produce and sell them."

In October police revealed plans to bulldoze buildings used as counterfeit shops in Manchester.