£250,000 fake goods haul: Clitheroe market trader in court

Wajid Mahmood (29), of Clitheroe, appeared at Preston Crown Court along with 48-year-old John Coling Ford, of Kirkham, who admitted one count of the same offence.

The court was told that couriers DHL alerted the North West Trading Standards Unit to a suspicious shipment of “Dr Dre” branded headphones from Hong Kong, which was being sent to an address in Kirkham.

Ford was arrested by Customs officers after being witnessed accepting the parcel.

Trading Standards chiefs then arrested Clitheroe market trader Mahmood, for whom Ford had accepted the delivery.

The court heard the defendants had made the arrangement after “bumping into each other” on Preston Market. A total of 800 pairs of counterfeit headphones and 600 fake “Ice” branded watches were seized.

Prosecuting Sarah Morgan said: “The NWTSU made a controlled delivery on September 16th and Ford was arrested. In interview he admitted receiving the headphones on behalf of Mahmood and had received no financial benefit.

“On October 30th, Mahmood was arrested and his premises searched. Six boxes of Ice watches were recovered. He fully admitted the offences.”

Defending Ford, Sephton Lee added: “He had just returned from holiday and had a DHL card through the door. He accepted the shipment.”

The prosecution argues the earphones were valued at £224,000 and the watches at £36,000, but the defence argued the earphones were worth £64,000.

The men will be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on July 22nd.