Counterfeit football goods worth £200,000 seized after Trading Standards probe

Counterfeit football merchandise worth more than £200,000 will be destroyed after it was seized by Trading Standards officers, a council says.

An investigation by Stirling and Clackmannanshire councils led to the football goods being seized.

It followed complaints about fake football jerseys.

Stirling council said a trader, who they did not identify, voluntarily surrendered the stock and was given a written warning.

A picture of the goods released by the council showed a number of strips from well-known football teams.

Experts said the vast majority of the stock, which was available to buy in-store and online, was counterfeit.

Alasdair Tollemache, convener of Stirling’s Environment Committee, said the trade in counterfeit goods can be linked to organised crime.

He said: “The sale of counterfeit goods including football merchandise is a serious offence and not a victimless crime.

“It destroys jobs, undermines the hard work of legitimate businesses and has links to serious criminal activities.

“Consumers buy these items with the belief they are genuine, but they are very often inferior in quality and may be unsafe.

“I would like to thank the officers involved in this operation for their dedication to protecting the public and the livelihoods of honest local businesses operating within the law.

“This action sends a clear message to those who engage in illegal trading in Stirling and Clackmannanshire – this will not be tolerated.”