POLICE and trading standards officers were celebrating today after seizing fake computer games with a retail value of £60,000.

Officers raided a house in Olive Lane, Darwen and uncovered the stash of about 2,000 games for the Sony Playstation 2 and Sega Dreamcast.

Chris Allen, of Blackburn with Darwen Council's Trading Standards Department said he was pleased with the seizure.

"This is the second largest seizure of counterfeit games in Darwen and we have sent out a message to people making these games that we are tracking them down."

Mr Allen said trading standards officers were called in by police after a raid at the home last Tuesday.

The CDs are now being catalogued by trading standards officers and some have been sent to Sony and Sega to analyse whether copyright has been broken. Chris Allen said: "We have to establish with the companies that hold copyright on the titles that their copyright has been broken. This is a routine procedure and is done with all items whether it be clothing or computer games.

"Even though the games had a retail value of £60,000 I think the street price was nearer £10,000."

In addition to the CDs, computer hardware and video equipment worth £3,000 was taken.

Det Sgt Ian Critchley of Darwen CID headed the police operation. He said he was delighted at the way it went. "When we raided the house we did not think so many items would be in there. We were delighted with what we found.

"As part of our partnership with trading standards and other agencies we called them in as they have more expertise in that field.

"We are training trading standards officers in what we look for and vice-versa. They inform us about what they examine and what they see in items which gives away the fact they are counterfeit.

"So far it is working very well and I hope the two can work together in the future."

Chris Allen said trading standards officers were now working on a file which could bring prosecution.