Seized goods donated to charity
Posted on Wednesday 24th October 2018
Thousands of pounds worth of seized goods are to be rebranded and given away to the homeless.
Newport City Council’s trading standards team has seized the goods following investigations of reports of clothing with fake sports and luxury goods trademarks, including top brands such as Nike, Addidas, Puma, Calvin Klein and Michael Kors.
If the items were sold at the full retail price of genuine equivalent products, their value would by around £200,000.
The national charity His Church works in partnership with the council to ensure the counterfeit goods are rebranded and redistributed.
And this week the charity representative Richard Humphrey, senior coordinator of His Church, met the Leader of the council, Councillor Debbie Wilcox and Cabinet Member for Licensing and Regulation, Councillor Ray Truman to receive the clothing.
The council is very conscious of the fact that the sale of counterfeit goods and services cost the UK economy millions of pounds each year and puts the jobs and livelihoods of workers and business owners at risk.
This is why the council has its own Fake Free Newport campaign which aims to sign up the city’s legitimate traders of branded goods to a commitment to supporting the fight against fake and unsafe goods.
Council Leader Councillor Debbie Wilcox, said: “Our Fake Free Newport campaign encourages residents and businesses to report anyone they think is breaking the law.
“It is essential for all businesses that fraudsters are put out of practice they are threatening the livelihoods of good honest traders and could be putting our residents at risk.
“Our officers have done a tremendous job in securing these counterfeit goods which will now be put to excellent use. Well done to all concerned.”
Local businesses and those thinking of investing in Newport are assured that anyone selling fake and unsafe goods will be dealt with by the council’s trading standards team – and if necessary through the court system.
Councillor Truman added his support: “It is thanks to the vigorous investigative work of officers over many months that offenders are tracked down and eventually dealt with through the courts.
“The seizure of such goods ensure the criminal doesn’t benefit and those in need do.”
If anyone has information on people committing this type of crime, please report online or email [email protected]