Britain’s best-known department store is in the midst of a massive £250 million refurbishment. Michael Ward, managing director of Harrods, has already overseen a string of dramatic changes, from multi- million-pound designer escalators to a coruscating chandelier for the store’s rear foyer by renowned glass designer Dale Chihuly. A seven figure sum is reputed to have […]
<h1 class="entry-title">Year: 2014</h1>
Turn Back Crime
A fake watch, cheap cigarettes, a pirated DVD: What may seem like innocent purchases, could be funding criminal activity, such as cybercrime, the illegal arms trade, kidnapping, crimes against children and even terrorism. This film exposes the link between purchasing counterfeit items and the more dangerous crimes that purchasing enables. The first of a series, […]
Sunday Mirror Finds a Hidden ‘Shopping Mall’ Selling Fakes
The Sunday Mirror (June 15th) reports that a hidden shopping mall selling fake designer goods has been discovered behind a row of derelict shops in the Bury New Road area of Manchester. The secret shopping village – on a once bustling street in Manchester – is packed with fake Louis Vuitton handbags, Nike football shirts, […]
Avoid Bad Hair Days…Avoid Counterfeit Hair Stylers!
Dictionary.com informs us coun·ter·feit [koun-ter-fit] adjective 1. made in imitation so as to be passed off fraudulently or deceptively as genuine; not genuine; forged: counterfeit dollar bills. 2. pretended; unreal: counterfeit grief. I like the fact that this mentions grief. It is so true! So I’m suggesting, please look further than the quality and […]
Increased Crackdown on Links to Counterfeiters’ Websites
The government has stated that fakers account for 10 per cent of global trade and is to step up its crackdown on fake goods in the UK. A new report has revealed that clothing, tobacco and alcohol are the top products targeted by counterfeiters. 72 million website links were removed in the past year, up […]
Exmouth Woman Who Sold Fake Cosmetics On eBay Spared Jail
Deborah Hamber made £24,720 between July 2012 and February 2013 A woman has been spared prison after admitting selling thousands of pounds worth of fake cosmetics on eBay. Tests on a tube of mascara being sold by Deborah Hamber from her home contained twice the permitted level of lead, Exeter Crown Court heard. Hamber, 41, […]
Clarity Issued by the FCA on Process Serving
Following representation by the Association of British investigators (ABI) the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has reviewed the licensing requirement under the Consumer Credit Act for the activity of ‘Pure Process Serving’ and issued the following guidelines: ‘Pure Process Serving’ is meant that: – The firm (a process server) is instructed by a law firm, or […]
Private Investigator Hit With £89,000 Penalty
A man who ran a company that tricked organisations into revealing personal details about customers has today been ordered to pay a total of £20,000 in fines and prosecution costs, as well as a confiscation order of over £69,000 at a hearing at Isleworth Crown Court. Barry Spencer, 42, ran ICU Investigations Limited in Feltham, […]
Designer Clothes Counterfeiters Jailed
Two brothers and their father have been jailed for their parts in manufacturing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fake designer garments. Kully Screen Printing Ltd, in Galby Street, Spinney Hills, Leicester, was described as a “large-scale, highly sophisticated and a professional operation”. At Leicester Crown Court, director Kuldip Singh (26), the “principal offender”, […]
Legal Aid Row Leads to Halting of Serious Fraud Trial
A judge has halted a serious fraud trial after defendants claimed they could not get adequate representation because of cuts to legal aid. Alex Cameron QC – the prime minister’s brother, working free of charge on the bid to halt the case – said the defendants would not get a fair trial. […]