A court in the UK has ordered the destruction of 2,361 counterfeit watches, imported from China and offered for sale online.
Jeremy Smith, 41, who advertised the watches on eBay and two websites had argued they were genuine, even though they had the wrong font, incorrect logo placement and inconsistencies with the information printed on packaging tags.
An investigation by the City of London Police concluded, however, that there was no evidence to suggest Smith knew they were fake and no criminal charges brought against him.
During the court hearing, representatives from six legitimate brands provided evidence to show that the watches seized by Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) were counterfeit.
The case was referred to the unit by a lawyer representing two designer brands, which identified an eBay account and two websites that were selling suspected counterfeit watches, being sold for less than the retail value of the genuine items.
Detective Constable Daryl Fryatt, of PIPCU, said: “Selling counterfeit goods is illegal. Some consumers get conned, some end up with a poor-quality product and the money that runs through the counterfeit goods trade funds organised crime.
“The evidence provided by the legitimate brands involved in this hearing was instrumental in helping us achieve this result, which is proof of what law enforcement and industry can achieve when we work together to tackle the counterfeit goods trade.”
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