SYDNEY: A horde of more than 50,000 items of counterfeit clothing has been discovered by New South Wales Police following the arrest of two market stall traders earlier this month. The find occurred after police, with the assistance of private investigation firms Global Brand Protection (GPB) and Trade Mark Investigation Services (TMIS), initiated a search warrant on two market stalls at Sydney's Fairfield markets.
More than 18,000 items were seized, most of them counterfeit, with the range of brands represented including Adidas, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren and Lonsdale.
Twelve hours later a further search warrant was executed on a warehouse in Lekemba where a further 42,000 items were located and seized.
Two individuals, collectively facing 11 charges, have been arrested as a result of the raid with at least one of the pair facing a charge of assault after striking the police officer during the arrest.
Australian Sporting Goods Association executive director Sean Cary said the two individuals, a Chinese national and a Turkish Australian, had been subject to previous investigations by GPB. The Chinese national had previously been arrested for counterfeit matters and had only just completed a 12-month period of weekend detention as a result of these, Cary said,
"Both individuals had ignored previous warnings from the brand protection agencies relating to their illegal selling activities."
It is understood the Australian Tax Office, which also attended the operation, will be investigating the sales and direct earnings relating to the two individuals and may take further action.