Slough trading standards seize fake goods worth £250,000 in 18 months

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Local Government

Trading standards officers in Slough have seized £250,000-worth of fake goods in the past 18 months.

The huge haul of rip-off merchandise - including DVDs, shoes, clothes, watches, jewellery, alcohol and cigarettes - was taken off the borough's streets between June 2006 and January 2008.

A new report shows that Slough's trading standards team now seizes more counterfeit goods than any other in the South East.

Keith Eaglestone, trading standards manager for Slough Borough Council, said: "We have worked so hard over the last few years to make sure Slough is a safe place to buy products and have come down hard on counterfeit items.

"We are really pleased we have come out on top and will continue to be vigilant. The problem of counterfeit goods for sale in the borough is rife."

He added: "It deprives local traders of legitimate business and the goods are generally of poor quality, and in some instances, dangerously unsafe.

"The local economy suffers and it denies consumers their normal rights under the Sale of Goods Act with no come back after the sale is made.

"We want to make sure we rid the streets of such products and have been very successful so far."