In the run-up to the London Olympic Games, Border Force officers have stopped thousands of counterfeit Olympic goods being smuggled into the UK through seaports and airports.
The biggest find came at the port of Felixstowe, where more than 7,000 fake Olympic gym bags were found in a container by Border Force officers.
Recently, they also seized 540 Olympics-branded cigarette lighters.
Other ports across the UK have also seen smuggling attempts. At Dover, 432 Olympics-theme t-shirts and vests were seized on 8 May.
In the run-up to the London Olympic Games, Border Force officers have stopped thousands of counterfeit Olympic goods being smuggled into the UK through seaports and airports.
The biggest find came at the port of Felixstowe, where more than 7,000 fake Olympic gym bags were found in a container by Border Force officers.
Recently, they also seized 540 Olympics-branded cigarette lighters.
Other ports across the UK have also seen smuggling attempts. At Dover, 432 Olympics-theme t-shirts and vests were seized on 8 May.
At London’s Heathrow Airport, 100kg of fake Olympics holders for tickets were found among other freight on 19 May.
And at Coventry’s international postal hub, 15 fake Olympics Adidas football shirts and 90 fake Olympics Ralph Lauren Polo shirts were found among parcels.
Home Office Minister Damian Green (pictured) said: “Counterfeiting is not a harmless crime but a criminal enterprise, posing a serious economic threat estimated to be worth around £1.3 billion in the UK each year.
“In this Olympic summer, our officers have utilised intelligence sources, scanner technology and search techniques to successfully thwart those seeking to illegally profit from the Games.
“Border Force officers at ports and airports around the UK help monitor inbound freight to safeguard our communities from the illegal import of harmful items such as drugs, weapons and counterfeit goods.”
LOCOG commercial director Chris Townsend said: “Fake products not only undermine our ability to raise the revenues needed to stage and host the London 2012 Games, but the fake goods themselves are likely to be of inferior quality and not meet the stringent safety and sustainability standards that all official products must meet.”
After suspect goods are detained, Border Force officers ask the rights holders to verify that the products are fakes. The rights
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