City of London police officers seized an estimated £200 million worth of counterfeit designer goods during a raid in Southall, London.

Around 84,000 items were seized from a storage unit on Bridge Road on Tuesday 1 November 2022. The items seized were primarily counterfeit designer watches but also included counterfeit sunglasses, handbags and clothing.

The Police believe that the goods were intended to be distributed to counterfeit retailers and sold to the public.

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One man was arrested and later released under investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Robinson, from City of London Police’s Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), said: “This activity should send a clear message that the trade of counterfeit goods will not be tolerated.”

"We will continue to take enforcement action in the area with our partners, and work to identify the organised crime groups that sit behind this criminal activity."

Fake designer goods seized in Southall (Image: City of London Police)

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“Our work will have seriously disrupted the trade of counterfeit watches in the lead up to Christmas, and it is vital for the public to remember that you don’t know what crimes you are funding when buying counterfeit goods, or the conditions that those who produce them are working in.”

Reports of counterfeit goods are investigated by officers from City of London Police’s Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU).

Fake designer goods seized by police in storage unit in Southall (Image: City of London Police)

A massive haul of illegal vapes worth £180,000 were seized from a number of locations in Southall in September 2022.

A Southall trader selling counterfeit face masks and illicit hand sanitiser bottles was fined £15k in February 2022. Also based on Bridge Road, Southall.