27 October 2020
The BBC Defenders UK team filmed a targeted operation in Birmingham where ACG’s Intelligence Coordinator, Graham Mogg along with Officers from West Midlands Regional Police Organised Crime Unit (WMROCU) and Birmingham Trading Standards.
The operation saw two raids being undertaken at an industrial site linked to counterfeiting activity and the home address of a suspected counterfeit goods supplier.
Yesterday’s programme showed officers from WMROCU raiding a unit which was discovered as a large-scale manufacturing unit geared for mass production of counterfeit clothing and shown to be the place of a modern-day illegal sweatshop.
The factory, filled with thousands of clothing items, embroidery patterns, machinery costing thousands of pounds and counterfeit Hugo Boss, Nike, North Face, Versace, Tommy Hilfiger, and Polo labels ready to attach to garments to sell as genuine.
Both raids deemed successful in disrupting the selling of counterfeit goods and in tackling a known manufacturing counterfeiting ring in Birmingham.
The programme featuring the operation is now on BBC iPlayer
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000gxlt/defenders-uk-series-3-episode-6
ACG represents more than 3,000 brands affected by this influx of fakes into the UK and delivers an international network of information, advice and contacts on all aspects of IP protection. Working with Government and law enforcement agencies since 1980, ACG is focused on providing an effective and sustained response to counterfeiting.
Membership with the ACG is the best way to work with government and enforcement bodies to protect your brand. Our Roadshows and training days help you reach out to police, trading standards and border force officers and tell them about your genuine products.