TOUGH new powers to deprive criminals of the profits of selling counterfeit goods have been welcomed by trading standards chiefs in Preston.

The legislation means officers can now apply for a confiscation order which allows them to probe the criminal's bank account. If they can prove any amount of the money was made through selling false goods they have the power to seize the cash and hand it over to the government.

Lancashire County Council's deputy chief trading standards officer David Brown said: "If the thought of a heavy fine or a short prison sentence doesn't deter criminals, we believe the thought of having their money taken off them will.

"In the past criminals have paid their fine or served their sentence and they still have all the money made before they were caught. Before long they are at it again."

He added: "I think the people involved in counterfeit operations know this time we mean business. For example, last week we seized 2,000 pairs of fake Versace jeans from a warehouse in Blackburn. The operators had taken their cash and fled leaving all their unsold stock behind. They were obviously concerned that if we caught them, we'd confiscate their cash."

Mr Brown stressed that any cases trading standards bring to court in the future, they will apply for a confiscation order.

All goods seized are either recycled or given to good causes. The fake jeans are expected to be flown over to Bosnia.

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