Fake clothes valued at £6m seized

Buying fake goods could lead to job losses, Trading Standards officers said

Trading Standards officers have seized counterfeit designer sportswear valued at about £6m from a Midlands warehouse.

Officers believe the haul, which was found at an industrial park in Winson Green, Birmingham, on 21 November, may be the biggest ever seized in England.

More fake goods which could have sold for up to £75,000 were found in a raid on Bescot Market, Walsall, on Sunday.

The second raid turned up fake Adidas, Timberland and G-Star clothes and 1,000 pairs of Nike and Lacoste trainers.

The goods seized in the first raid could cover an area the size of a football pitch, said Birmingham City Council's Trading Standards team.

The clothes were of "poor quality" and are believed to have been destined for car-boot sales, street markets or to be sold online as Christmas presents.

A spokesman said that if the clothes were genuine they might be worth about £15m.

He warned that buying or selling fake goods could lead to job losses by taking business away from genuine retailers who are already struggling in the tough economic climate.

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The items are said to be worth £6m.