This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/8407027.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Counterfeit golf club gang guilty | Counterfeit golf club gang guilty |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Seven people have been found guilty of taking part in a global multi-million pound fake golf clubs fraud. | Seven people have been found guilty of taking part in a global multi-million pound fake golf clubs fraud. |
| Auction website eBay regarded it as the largest counterfeiting scheme it had come across, Snaresbrook Crown Court, in east London, was told. | Auction website eBay regarded it as the largest counterfeiting scheme it had come across, Snaresbrook Crown Court, in east London, was told. |
| The gang sold golf clubs it falsely claimed were made by a number of major brands, the court heard. | The gang sold golf clubs it falsely claimed were made by a number of major brands, the court heard. |
| Earlier this year Gary Bellchambers, 45, of Rainham, east London, admitted masterminding the fraud. | |
| Andy Tighe, BBC home affairs correspondent | Andy Tighe, BBC home affairs correspondent |
| The trade in counterfeit goods is the scourge of the global economy. | The trade in counterfeit goods is the scourge of the global economy. |
| Worth an estimated $250bn a year, it affects products as diverse as clothing, pharmaceuticals and cigarettes. | |
| Smashing the organised gangs behind this illicit trade is a major challenge. | Smashing the organised gangs behind this illicit trade is a major challenge. |
| They operate like legitimate companies, placing orders with manufacturers in countries like China and developing distribution networks around the world. | They operate like legitimate companies, placing orders with manufacturers in countries like China and developing distribution networks around the world. |
| The goods themselves often appear highly convincing, right down to packaging, logos and product codes. | The goods themselves often appear highly convincing, right down to packaging, logos and product codes. |
| The relative anonymity of the web inevitably attracts determined fraudsters, despite the best efforts of online auction sites. | |
| EBay says since January 2008 it has helped global law enforcement agencies in more than 9,000 investigations, resulting in the arrest or conviction of more than 200 criminals. | |
| On Friday Roy Cottee, 65, and his wife Kay, 46, from Rainham, Essex, Sharon Williams, 49, from West Wickham, Kent, and Helen Wilson, 29, from Hertford, were found guilty of conspiracy to sell or distribute goods bearing signs likely to be mistaken for registered trademarks. | |
| In September Keith Thomas, 49, also of Rainham, and Chris Moughton, 56, of Hayfield Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, admitted conspiracy to distribute golf clubs, clothing and other related items. | |
| Simon Eden, 44, from Hertford, was cleared of the conspiracy charge. The jury could not reach a verdict on Mark Kent, 46, from Rainham, over the conspiracy charge. | Simon Eden, 44, from Hertford, was cleared of the conspiracy charge. The jury could not reach a verdict on Mark Kent, 46, from Rainham, over the conspiracy charge. |
| Havering Council in London said it uncovered the fraud after an unhappy customer, Christine Manz, contacted its trading standards team. | Havering Council in London said it uncovered the fraud after an unhappy customer, Christine Manz, contacted its trading standards team. |
| A large quantity of fake golf equipment was seized at Bellchambers' home, the court heard. | A large quantity of fake golf equipment was seized at Bellchambers' home, the court heard. |
| The defendants sold millions of pounds worth of fake golf clubs and other merchandise through eBay between June 2003 and March 2008 | The defendants sold millions of pounds worth of fake golf clubs and other merchandise through eBay between June 2003 and March 2008 |
| The majority of the fake goods were manufactured in China and shipped to the various defendants' addresses in the UK. | The majority of the fake goods were manufactured in China and shipped to the various defendants' addresses in the UK. |
| They were then sent to customers in the Irish Republic, Australia, The United States and Brazil. | They were then sent to customers in the Irish Republic, Australia, The United States and Brazil. |
| Havering Council Principal Trading Standards officer Bill Adams said: "In my 35 years as an investigator I've never before heard of such a massive counterfeiting operation - it was of a scale that has never been seen before." | Havering Council Principal Trading Standards officer Bill Adams said: "In my 35 years as an investigator I've never before heard of such a massive counterfeiting operation - it was of a scale that has never been seen before." |
| "This conspiracy was like a huge spider's web which we had to unravel. I'd like to thank my officers for their dedication and going beyond the call of duty to bring this criminal network down." | "This conspiracy was like a huge spider's web which we had to unravel. I'd like to thank my officers for their dedication and going beyond the call of duty to bring this criminal network down." |
| Michael White, leader of Havering Council, said it would sue the gang members for the proceeds of the fraud. | Michael White, leader of Havering Council, said it would sue the gang members for the proceeds of the fraud. |
| Mark Lewis, manager for eBay in the UK, said it "worked tirelessly" to ensure counterfeiters were caught. | Mark Lewis, manager for eBay in the UK, said it "worked tirelessly" to ensure counterfeiters were caught. |
| The gang is expected to be sentenced on 25 January. |