Warehouse in Oldham with £200,000 worth of fake footwear inside raided by police
Two men have also been arrested
Last updated 20th Feb 2024
Hundreds of counterfeit goods have been seized and two men have been arrested, after police raided a warehouse in Oldham.
Oldham's Neighbourhood Team has been working alongside Operation Vulcan - the team which helped bring down the shutters on Cheetham Hill's counterfeit shops.
Officers today seized a significant amount of counterfeit footwear and accessories at a commercial premises in Chadderton.
Alongside police, partners from Immigration Enforcement worked together to tackle counterfeit establishments in Oldham.
Two men aged 32 and 33 were arrested on suspicion of trademark offences and money laundering at a nearby property, they both remain in custody for questioning.
Two cars were also seized by police.
Superintendent Phil Hutchinson of GMP’s Oldham district, says he hopes the public is reassured:
"This morning’s operation was a fantastic result for Oldham, during which huge numbers of suspected counterfeit products were seized.
“The items seized will now be examined and assessed by brand experts to determine if they are in fact counterfeit.
“I hope our work today, will continue to robustly tackle this type of crime, sending a clear message to criminals that GMP is committed to obstructing counterfeit trade, regardless of where it emerges in the force.
“The power of collaborative working should not be underestimated in GMP and by sharing intelligence with partners we are in a strong place to act on any information passed to us.
"I hope the public will be reassured by the activity today, the counterfeit trade is not a victimless crime, and it often funds much more serious crime and violence in our communities, and we will continue to do everything in our power to thwart criminals through resilient action to shut down their illicit enterprises.
Chief Inspector Andy Torkington of Operation Vulcan says no matter where criminals go, police will follow:
“We hope that the action seen today is a significant strike against the pocket of organised criminality.
“We’ve always known those involved in the counterfeit trade and associated criminality will take extraordinary measures to exploit any market they can and the raids today demonstrate that no matter where they go, we will follow them and seize their assets.
“Operation Vulcan assisted neighbourhood teams in Oldham to clear the premises of counterfeit goods and sharing best practice from the previous success of the operation seen in the Cheetham Hill and Strangeways area of Manchester and the joint work must continue to showcase an effective and efficient law enforcement response to the counterfeit trade in Greater Manchester.”