Fake goods worth millions seized in Glasgow

MILLIONS of pounds of fake designer goods, illegal cigarettes and alcohol was seized during a raid, police revealed yesterday.

Officers uncovered the 3 million haul in a search of business premises in Glasgow's Commerce Street on Thursday morning.

The raid, carried out with Revenue and Customs and trading standards officers, uncovered counterfeit clothes and jewellery and large quantities of illegal alcohol and cigarettes.

Police said that no arrests were made, but they are investigating the find and expect several people to be brought in for questioning.

Detective Chief Inspector John McDonald said: "The estimated street value of this recovery is in the region of 3 million.

"This recovery will have a significant impact on the finances of those criminals seeking to benefit from the illicit sale of these goods.

"This is clear evidence of Strathclyde Police working closely with our partner agencies, on this occasion Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and Trading Standards officials, to detect, disrupt and dismantle serious and organised crime groups operating in our communities."

Organised crime groups profit from their trade in illegal goods, which funds other serious crime such as human trafficking, guns and illegal drugs, according to police.

The market for counterfeit goods in the UK is worth around 1.3 billion, with 900 million of this feeding organised crime, police said.