Fake goods from Powys valued at £100k go to charity

Counterfeit goods worth £100,000 which were seized by Powys trading standards have been given to charity.

Christian group His Church have received about 4,000 items including CDs, clothing, boots and computer memory sticks.

It has passed on clothing to drugs charity Kaleidoscope and Gwalia Care and Support after it removed the fake branding.

Powys council said items such as counterfeit CDs would be wiped first.

Trading standards said it seized fake goods from retail premises, markets, car boot sales and households.

"Traders of fake merchandise make money out of someone else's work and getting these goods off the streets of Powys is an important role of our trading standards service," said Geraint Hopkins, cabinet member for environment and regulation.

"By teaming up with His Church, not only are we protecting consumers, but we are also helping others make use of the items seized."

Clive Jones, the council's principal trading standards officer, said counterfeiting was not the victimless crime.

He said: "The proceeds from fake goods often go to organised criminals who maybe involved in other crime in our communities and also our local and legitimate traders end up with the threat of losing jobs because of this activity."

Last year, Powys trading standards won a UK award for its work in tackling the worldwide trade in fake goods.

It scooped the department of the year prize from the Anti-Counterfeiting Group.