Newcastle woman sold fake lenses as 'easy way to make money'

The court heard some of the lenses had defects such as air bubbles

A woman who sold "extremely dangerous" fake contact lenses as "an easy way to make money" has been convicted of selling counterfeit goods.

Zahra Gillani sourced them from Chinese-run website Alibaba, which Newcastle Crown Court heard was "notorious" for advertising fake items.

The 31-year-old had told her trial she believed they were authentic.

However, a jury found her guilty of three counts of selling and one count of possessing counterfeit goods.

She was also convicted on a fifth charge of applying labels identical to, or likely to be mistaken for, a registered trademark, and will be sentenced on 21 April.

Gillani sold the lenses, including some marketed as Freshlook Colorblends, through Alluring Lenses, a business she ran via a Facebook page.

Packets of lenses, cardboard boxes and sticky labels were found by investigators when they raided Ms Gillani's home on Gowland Avenue, Newcastle, in July 2018.

'Too easy'

Judge Amanda Rippon said she believed Gillani, who has worked in sales roles for major pharmaceutical companies, saw the venture as a lucrative sideline and was unaware what she was selling was counterfeit.

She added she had been "very lucky" she had not hurt anyone with the lenses, which were described by experts as "defective" and "an accident waiting to happen".

"It's just too easy to sell things you shouldn't sell and have access to online marketplaces," the judge said.

"I think she simply thought it was an easy way to make quite a bit of money."

The jury heard Gillani paid $2.35 (£1.75) per pair through Paypal. She then sold them on for £15 despite not being registered with the General Optical Council as an optician or dispenser.

On 3 July 2018, a stock check revealed she was offering lenses for sale worth £12,340.

She told the court she "very often" wore them herself and had also given them to friends and family.