A huge haul of fake designer goods which could have been worth £250k if they were real have been seized by trading standards.

The collection of more than 600 items were on sale at a retailer in Middlesbrough when trading standards officers swooped in to seize them on Tuesday (August 20).

They include shoes and trainers which were copies of designer brands including Gucci, Chanel, Viviene Westwood, Louis Vuitton and New Balance.

If the goods were the real deal the haul would have been worth in the region of £250k, Middlesbrough Council said, but most were on sale for less than £20 – much less than the actual products would cost.

Officers then returned the next day and took a further 100 counterfeit items, which could have been worth a further £25k.

While taking the black-market footwear officers seized fake perfumes from an unconnected street trader selling to passersby.

Judith Hedgley, Middlesbrough Council’s Head of Public Protection said: “There was no hiding the fact that the branded clothing and other items being offered for sale at such low prices could not be genuine, resulting in the seizure of a large amount of stock from the retailer and all of the items being carried by the street vendor. 

“Counterfeit goods are sold to make profit for criminal organisations, damage genuine trade and often put consumers at risk.”

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Mayor Chris Cooke said: "Counterfeit goods have no place in Middlesbrough - our legitimate and lawful town centre businesses should not have to compete on an uneven playing field.

"Counterfeit products can be shoddily made and dangerous, and their sale ultimately funds organised criminality. This is not a victimless crime.

"This seizure is another example of the fantastic work that Middlesbrough Council's Trading Standards team does on a daily basis, and I want to congratulate them on sending out another strong message.”