Ealing trading standards has secured a successful prosecution after seizing nearly 22,000 items of counterfeit and unsafe mobile phone accessories in an operation to tackle counterfeit crime.

Elite Europe Ltd (trading as Mr Phone) of Southall Enterprise Centre, UB2, along with its former director, Banoch Kumar, 35, were both fined a total of £2,700 each and ordered to pay the statutory surcharge at Isleworth Crown Court on Thursday, 9 July 2015.

They had previously entered guilty pleas for offences under the Trade Marks Act (TMA) 1994 and Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations (EESR) 1994.

Mr Kumar was also given a two-month prison sentence suspended for two years, with a requirement to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay a contribution of £1,000 towards the council’s costs.

The prosecution was brought by the council’s trading standards team who, working with officers from the Home Office Immigration Enforcement, the Metropolitan Police Service and other local authorities, seized a total of 21,850 items from the premises in December 2013 following a routine inspection as part of an ongoing joint operation in the area.

Items seized included branded mobile phone accessories, with trade mark logos such as Apple, Nike, LG, Sony, Motorola, Ericsson, Blackberry, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Microsoft, Nokia and HTC. There were also dangerous and unsafe electrical items which failed to meet the required safety standards when tested, in breach of the EESR 1994.

Samples of the items were subsequently sent to representatives of the relevant trade mark or copyright holders who confirmed the goods were counterfeit and falsely used their registered logos contrary to the TMA 1994.

Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for safety, culture and community services, said: "This is another successful result for the council, achieved through the diligence of council officers and partners in our efforts to make the borough safer."

"We take a tough line against those who endanger the public and break the law. I hope this case sends a strong warning to all unscrupulous traders that we will pursue them and the penalties are considerable."

All the items seized from the premises were forfeited by the court.