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Brothers Jailed for Liverpool Markets Fake Goods Scam

Brothers Jailed for Liverpool Markets Fake Goods Scam

From the Liverpool Echo 30th May 2013

Surelock has been involved with this case from the beginning.

Four brothers who sold counterfeit goods at Liverpool markets have been given prison sentences.

They admitted the offences which involved fake clothes, footwear and mobile phone covers.

Raza Hassan,  21, who owned the stalls pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to 34 counts of offering counterfeit goods for sale and was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment on each count to run concurrently and ordered to pay £1,500 towards costs.

Irfan Hassan,26, who had helped run the stalls pleaded guilty to 33 counts of offering counterfeit goods for sale and was sentenced to eight months on each count to run concurrently and ordered to pay £1,000 towards costs.

Murtarza Hassan, 24, who pleaded guilty to six counts of offering counterfeit good for sale was sentenced to six months on each count to run concurrently and ordered to pay £500 towards costs.

Furqaan Hassan,22, pleaded guilty to one count relating to running a stall selling counterfeit mobile phone covers but who was still subject to an outstanding suspended sentence for similar offences was sentence to 10 months and ordered to pay £1,000 towards costs.

All the defendants share the same address in Clarendon Road, Manchester.

The court heard that on seven occasions between July 2011 and March 2012 trading standards officers found counterfeit clothing, footwear and mobile phone covers for sale at stalls in St John’s and Broadway market and at the FoneGaff store in Williamson Street, owned by the family.

In total 640 items of clothing, 79 pairs of trainers and 432 mobile phone covers were seized during this period. The goods seized were ordered to be forfeited for destruction.

In sentencing Judge Lewis said that after three visits by officers the brothers should have been aware that Trading Standards were on to them and that they had an almost impudent disregard for the law.

John McHale, Head of Liverpool trading standards, said: “These were persistent offenders who continued to sell counterfeit goods despite officers regularly visiting their stalls and seizing goods .

“This family were given every opportunity to trade legally but chose to continue with this criminal activity. The sale of counterfeit goods undermines legitimate traders and impacts on the economic growth of this city. The vast majority of market traders deal legitimately and they will welcome these convictions and sentences.”