Suspected fake branded clothing seized in raid

More than 800 items of clothing have been seized from a shop in Wolverhampton, during an investigation into suspected counterfeit goods.

The items discovered included sportswear, coats, footwear and accessories estimated to be worth thousands of pounds.

They include brands such as The North Face, Calvin Klein and Nike, said Wolverhampton City Council.

Acting after a complaint, the council's trading standards team partnered with police officers to target the city shop.

The clothing will be examined and if found to be confirmed as fakes, legal action will be taken, it added.

The raid was part of ongoing work to protect customers, with recent seizures of illicit tobacco, vapes and counterfeit toys also carried out.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal said: "Although it may seem like it, selling counterfeit clothing is not a victimless crime.

"Not only do counterfeiters mislead the public into thinking they are spending their money on a genuine product, that money could be used to fund other illegal activities such as forced labour, drug trafficking or cyber crime."

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