Guardia Civil seize more than 14,000 fake items and close secret workshop

WORKING with US Homeland Security and the Spanish Tax Agency, the Guardia Civil raided six premises in La Jonquera (Girona) and seized 14,003 fake items estimated as being worth more than €4 million.

The investigation began following a number of complaints lodged by representatives of different luxury brands concerning a proliferation of counterfeit goods apparently coming from the village of dels Limits with many items offered for sale in commercial premises.

Investigating officers discovered what they considered to be fake bags, sneakers, sweatshirts, watches, T-shirts, etc displayed for sale to the public.

Raids took place in six locations where not only was a huge stock of counterfeits discovered but they also found a hidden workshop where brand logos were added to fake items illegally.

Members of the United States Agencies HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) and CBP (US. Customs and Border Protection) participated in the operation as well as Labour and Social Security Inspectors, Inspectors of the Catalan Consumer Agency and experts from the complainant brands to certify the falsity of the seized items.

This sale of counterfeit goods has become rife in Spain where they are available in street markets, some shops and through individuals (often migrants) offering them to tourists on the streets and beaches.

Whilst it may appear to purchasers that they are obtaining a bargain, many of the fakes are shabby and poorly made but both the owners of the brands and the Spanish Tax Agency are being deprived of funds which are rightly theirs.

Written by

John Smith

Married to Ophelia in Gibraltar in 1978, John has spent much of his life travelling on security print and minting business and visited every continent except Antarctica. Having retired several years ago, the couple moved to their house in Estepona and John became a regular news writer for the EWN Media Group taking particular interest in Finance, Gibraltar and Costa del Sol Social Scene. Currently he is acting as Editorial Consultant for the paper helping to shape its future development. Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

Comments


    • H.Bradfield

      11 September 2020 • 16:31

      This business is rife in Marbella / Banus. Daily throughout the summer, there are so many vendors they form a line at the beach with their wares openly on display.
      The police come and the police go and nothing gets done.
      Surely it must be possible to locate the base where the vendors buy their wares and close it down.
      Or would that be against the human rights of the African vendors?

    • Alan Foreman

      13 September 2020 • 09:10

      Good Morning Readers. When I see an African person, an English person or someone from the orient I see a human being, who gets hungry and thirsty and needs shelter just as I need those basic things. Since the first white man who set foot on African soil or any other none white continent he has with the aid of modern weaponry subjugated the indigenous population to a life unnatural to their way of living pre -invasion, people who were content living off the land, the invaders stole their riches and resources and more importantly their dignity. Ten million Africans were sold into slavery, and transported in the most inhuman of conditions, to feed the needs and wants of white people, supposed Christians? Those Africans and Asians who now want a decent way of living, and arrive on the White mans shores are are forced to make a living in the greenhouses of Spain in this case, and when there is no work in the seasonal agricultural sectors become sellers fake goods and who buys these items we do, because it has a fake branded label cheap and cheerful. Back to agriculture the African immigrant is paid about three or four euros an hour to provide cheap food for you readers, the whole country benefits except the pickers who work in horrendous conditions. So the next time you see an Afro/ Asian think I’m looking at someone who feels pain and laughter like I do, be kind and don’t condemn. Alan Foreman

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