Fake designer clothing seized by Customs

Customs officers have seized counterfeit designer clothes which they believe would have a £1 million trade value. Twelve Irish residents have been questioned about the nine tonnes of sports and leisurewear which were confiscated in five separate operations in the past six weeks at Dublin Port and Dublin Airport.

Files are being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Customs officers believe the goods were destined for the European and British markets. These latest seizures follow a similar series of operations in June when customs officers seized similar counterfeit designer leisure wear worth about £250,000.

Virtually all the popular designer names were included in the latest seizures. In the first operation, more than 1 1/2 tonnes of counterfeit "Umbro" and "Tommy Hilfiger" sweatshirts were seized at Dublin Port. The 3,500 sweatshirts originated in Thailand and are valued at £210,000. "Tommy Hilfiger" sweatshirts cost £75 on average in Dublin shops and the T-shirts range in price from £25 to £45.

In a second and linked operation, again at Dublin Port, officers seized a further 5,000 fake "Tommy Hilfiger" sweatshirts which customs officers valued at £306,000.

Dublin Port was also the scene of another but unrelated seizure of 5,000 fake "Timberland" sweat shirts which originated in Pakistan and are valued at £300,000.

At Dublin Airport, 3,000 counterfeit "Calvin Klein" sweatshirts with an estimated value of £180,000 were discovered by customs officers. The Customs Investigation Bureau tracked the consignment from its originating point in Pakistan.

In a separate operation at Dublin Airport, a consignment of sweatshirts and T-shirts branded "Adidas", "Nike", "Tommy", "Reebok", "Versace", "Ralph Lauren" and "Dolce and Gabanna" was seized. They have an estimated trade value of £12,000 and it is believed this fake designer batch was destined for the Irish market.

A spokeswoman for the Revenue Commissioners, of which the Customs department is a branch, said such fake designer goods were usually destroyed. The Customs Investigation Bureau is considering giving the goods to charity, but in small quantities and to organisations which would ensure they would not become available on the commercial market.

Ireland is increasingly being used as a destination for international counterfeiting groups and the increase in imports of counterfeit goods in the State is also believed to be due to the strong demand for such goods.

The director of the Customs Investigation Bureau, Mr Liam Hurley, said £2 million in counterfeit products had been seized in the past 12 months. Speaking on RTE radio's lunchtime news he said that although those importing such goods might consider Ireland a "soft touch", the level of seizures showed it was not. Mr Hurley said the Customs Investigation Bureau could only seize such goods imported from outside the EU.