£20k of fake gear seized at South Staffordshire car boot

Counterfeit clothing worth £20,000 has been seized at a car boot sale in South Staffordshire, it was announced today, as MPs, council bosses and police vowed to continue the crackdown on illegal trading.

The raid took place at Col's Car Boot off the B4176 Bridgnorth Road at Himley, where fake Adidas and Ralph Lauren clothing were among the 500 items seized. Two men were arrested and bailed following the raid by Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire County Council officials. Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, today welcomed the action taken to crackdown on counterfeit goods being sold at car boot sales.

"There has been a long running problem at some car boot sales where illegal behaviour is going on.

"I am very keen for police and trading standards to severely crackdown on those breaking the laws."

Insp Donna Gibbs, local policing team commander for South Staffordshire, said: "This was the latest in a number of ongoing joint operations between police and trading standards to crack down on counterfeit goods at car boot sales.

"Members of the public should be aware that they will ultimately lose out by buying illegal products which are often of very poor quality."

The items were seized by police on Wednesday.

Pat Corfield, communities leader for Staffordshire County Council, said: "Counterfeiting is a serious offence, harming our economy and in most cases funding organised crime.

"People should not be fooled into thinking they are getting a bargain."

The car boot sale has been run in Himley by Colin Turley for the past 18 years.

In April an event had to be shut down by police after hundreds of queuing cars brought the surrounding roads to a standstill.

Tailbacks of more than a mile stretched down the busy main route, causing a headache for residents and businesses. Mr Turley was not available for comment.