Trading Standards Officers from Barking and Dagenham Council seized a haul of suspected counterfeit  designer clothing following a tip-off from a concerned member of the public.

The operation, on Tuesday 7 October, led to the confiscation of 28 tracksuits and eight jumpers, believed to be imitations of luxury brands including Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Versace, and Gucci. The garments were being offered for sale at around £30 each which is far below the retail price of genuine items.

The seizure took place as part of ongoing efforts to protect consumers and legitimate businesses from the harms caused by counterfeit goods. The items will now undergo further examination to determine their authenticity. If confirmed to be fake, enforcement action may be taken against the trader involved.

Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety said: “Counterfeit goods not only mislead consumers, but they also undermine legitimate businesses and can be linked to wider criminal activity.”

“We take this issue seriously and will continue to act on intelligence to disrupt the sale of fake products in our borough.”

Trading Standards encourages residents to report any suspicious activity or concerns about counterfeit goods by reporting it to tradingstandards@lbbd.gov.uk.