Over £1.5 MILLION worth of counterfeit clothes seized from TikTok influencers in Rotherham
The operation was headed by officers in London
Police have seized more than £1.5 million worth of counterfeit clothing that was being sold through social media.
Warehouses in Rotherham were raided by police after an extensive investigation into counterfeit goods being flogged by influencers on TikTok.
The operation - headed by the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) - investigated accounts livestreaming out of warehouses where they presented large amounts of branded clothing and trainers while claiming the items are genuine in response to viewer comments
Tracking these back to locations in South Yorkshire, officers executed warrants at a number of addresses, and upon entering one warehouse found a suspect livestreaming on TikTok.
The broadcast was quickly brought to an end.
Police have now revealed that the raids in Rotherham resulted in the seizure of items worth £1,162,036 in total.
26,849 counterfeit items were seized from a single warehouse, and officers filled four 18 tonne lorries with counterfeit or stolen materials.
Officers uncovered £1,000,000 worth of clothing and trainers believed to be stolen, £988,700 worth of branded counterfeit trainers, and £115,000 worth of counterfeit socks.
Six people were arrested on suspicion of distributing goods bearing false trademark.
Detective Sergeant Jamie Kirk, from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at the City of London Police, said: “This investigation shows how the sale of counterfeit goods has evolved, moving from traditional market stalls to modern apps and online marketplaces.
“In this case, influencers were used to promote and sell counterfeit products to large audiences.
“This case should send a clear message to anybody selling counterfeit goods online: it is illegal and we will take action.”