A MARKET trader is at the centre of a £17,000 counterfeit compact discs investigation.

The 32-year-old man, from Radcliffe, could now face criminal prosecution if 119 seized PlayStation discs and 70 PC-CD ROMs are found to be fakes.

The discs, with an estimated retail value of £17,000, were seized from a stall at Bury Flea Market during a recent raid by Bury Trading Standards officers.

As the results of the counterfeit tests continue, the raid by Trading Standards officers has been praised by European Leisure Software Publishers Association (UK) Ltd --ELSPA -- the computer games industry watchdog.

Mr Terry Anslow, Chief Investigator for the ELSPA Crime Unit, said: "ELSPA on behalf of its membership wish to thank the officers from Bury Trading Standards who have demonstrated determination to stamp out illegal sales of counterfeit products in their area of jurisdiction.

"ELSPA is the computer games industry watchdog, which represents the interests of games publishers. It has a dedicated crime unit, which is made up of investigators across the country and often works with Trading Standards Officers and the Police to combat computer games piracy."

ELSPA is checking the authenticity of the CDs and the matter will be put back in the hands of Bury Trading Standards if they are deemed fakes.