'%20id='ico-down'%20stroke='%23000000'%20stroke-width='1.5'%3e%3cg%20transform='translate(1092.250000,%20254.750000)'%3e%3cpolyline%20id='Path-2-Copy-4'%20transform='translate(5.500000,%202.750000)%20scale(1,%20-1)%20rotate(-180.000000)%20translate(-5.500000,%20-2.750000)%20'%20points='0%200%205.5%205.5%2011%200'%3e%3c/polyline%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small}
16 December 2003
LEON – Police smashed a fake counterfeit clothing fraud Tuesday worth EUR 1 million.
Three people were arrested in the north-west city of Salamanca in an operation in which the Guardia Civil seized 10,000 fake clothes.
The suspects were arrested in two flats which were used as commercial offices.
The operation – codenamed Tormes – started after reports of counterfeit clothing being sold in markets in Salamanca.
The flats looked like proper commercial offices with shelves, changing rooms and price tags with offers.
Police seized 10,308 items in all, valued by officers at EUR 1 m.
The fake brands included High Street names Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Levi’s, Docher’s, Nike, Adidas, Quicksilver, Burberry and Tommy Hilfiger.
Most of the clothes had been brought to Spain from Portugal and had been sold on to shops and market stalls in Spain and even France.
The three men arrested included a 27-year-old Venezuelan national and two Spaniards aged 26 and 54, who were from Salamanca and Valladolid.
They will be questioned by police and are likely to face charges.
[copyright EFE with Expatica]
Subject: Spanish news