Fake Viagra seized in Dagenham

 

A HUGE haul of counterfeit goods containing fake Viagra, Rolex watches and £18,040 in cash has been seized in Dagenham.

Barking and Dagenham Council Trading Standards and HM Revenue & Customs uncovered the horde inside a container on 16 and 17 November. The haul, which has an estimated street value of more than £800,000 also included fake designer hand bags, sunglasses, GHD hair straighteners, jewellery and rolling tobacco.

The container was part of a larger consignment which arrived in the UK the previous week destined for the Christmas shopping market. It is thought the goods were imported from China and were being stored in Dagenham before being distributed around the country.

The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made. All the goods and the cash have been registered with the court for confiscation.

Anyone involved in the trade of fake goods could face up to ten years in prison.

Cllr Jeanne Alexander, Cabinet Member for Crime, Justice and Communities, said: “This discovery is a major success in our battle against the counterfeiters. I’m grateful for the assistance we received from HMRC during this operation.

“Counterfeiters undercut legitimate traders who are trying to earn an honest living by selling genuine items. Fake goods might seem good at first sight, but the reality is they are usually poorly made and could even be dangerous. This is especially true for pharmaceutical like the tablets that were seized here.

“Not only could you end up with a dodgy product if you buy a counterfeit item, you could also be helping to fund organised crime. If a bargain seems too good to be true, it probably is.”