UPDATE: |The Mancunian Way: A bin full of hooky gear News

An M.E.N. special investigation shows how counterfeit street has moved online

Hello,

The shops on Cheetham Hill’s infamous ‘counterfeit street’ may have been shuttered, but a Manchester Evening News investigation has revealed the truth behind the lucrative trade in hooky gear. Police have carried out dawn raids as a result of information we have passed on.

We showed how devious sellers have taken to Telegram, a highly-encrypted messaging and social media app, to openly advertise fake designer bags, t-shirts, jackets and accessories to thousands of members.

Customers can then message a WhatsApp account with the item they want, along with their desired size, pay via bank transfer, and have it delivered to their door by the next day.

An advert on Instagram, featured a video of Bury New Road. It advertised: “Join the telegram to see our stock! NEXT DAY DELIVERY!” This was then followed by: “Manchester markets now closed – we are online only – CLICK THE LINK.”

A fake that would fool many

The Manchester Evening News joined Telegram under an alias and we were swiftly able to place an order for a Dior T-shirt, priced at £60. Its legitimate counterpart, sold by the French luxury goods company, is instead available for a staggering £660.

The private channel has 13,000 members who, almost hourly, are sent flare messages with videos and high quality pictures of goods from various angles, showing multiple colours and styles. The items are billed as ‘AAA’ or ‘Superclone’ – the highest quality.

After a bank transfer was made, a grey package was delivered two days later. Inside was a further plastic bag, with the DIOR logo printed on it and a large white t-shirt. The attention to detail in the fake was staggering and could fool most people.

The DIOR logo was neatly embroidered onto the chest and even came with realistic branded tags and labels with the item’s original pricing to further emulate the ‘real deal’. On the Manchester Evening News package was an address for returns.

Chainsaws and disc cutters

As a consequence of our investigation police this week carried out a raid on a derelict looking unit near Strangeways prison.

Intelligence suggested that parcels of counterfeit goods were being shipped from, or returned to this address, which is linked to multiple separate units. Our reporter who observed the raid described how sparks flew into the air as, armed with chainsaws and disc cutters, officers chewed through metal shutters before bursting into a unit shouting about their presence.

Inside they were greeted with empty space and no sign of fake goods or their sellers.

A blue bin full of hooky gear

It was in a blue bin outside that officers made a discovery that confirmed their suspicions. A heap of parcels and boxes, all slapped with handwritten labels, were found inside.

Following the M.E.N investigation, detectives confirmed that the clothes found stashed in the bin were counterfeit. It is believed that the postcode was being used by sellers as a decoy address; a common way for sellers to use an address without the knowledge of the genuine landlords or occupiers.

However police said the returns process for illicit counterfeit businesses is often a ruse and one to dupe customers into believing the business will refund items no longer wanted by customers, when they won’t, and that the existence of a returns address is to ‘cement the deception made by these illicit businesses.’

The second largest source of criminal income worldwide

In 2022, Greater Manchester Police announced a major operation to rid the area of the ‘endemic criminality’ that had blighted Cheetham Hill for decades. There was an immense sigh of relief from many when last year Chief Constable Stephen Watson announced that counterfeit street was no more.

Profits from the counterfeit trade are typically connected with organised crime, money laundering, the drugs trade, human trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable people.

The sale of counterfeit designer goods, trading fake and realistically branded items for a fraction of the price, is far more significant than just a wallet-friendly fashion statement.

Detective Chief Inspector Emma Warbey told the Manchester Evening News: “Our mission is to investigate, disrupt and prevent intellectual property crime that causes significant harm to the UK economy and the general public.

“Intellectual property crime is often seen by criminals as a low-risk, high-reward crime. According to the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, counterfeiting is now the second largest source of criminal income worldwide, second only to drugs.”

Weather etc

Tuesday: More lovely sunshine. 16C.

Roadworks: A5145 High Lane Westbound closed due to electricity work from B5217 Barlow Moor Road to Cross Road.