Officers help cut fraud on eBay

A crackdown by Shrewsbury police on counterfeit goods being sold on internet auction site eBay has been hailed as a major success.

Shropshire police and the county's Trading Standards carried out a joint operation targeting rogue dealers using the internet.

It resulted in warrants being executed in Shrewsbury by the borough's Local and Targeted Policing teams, leading to fake goods being confiscated.

David Edwards, head of Trading Standards, has now written to police chiefs.

He said: "The involvement of the police in this operation was paramount in enabling the seizure of those items. I'm sure this work has clearly brought home the message that traders who use internet auctions are not invisible, and in the fullness of time, I hope the word spreads widely."

He said the joint actions demonstrated to manufacturers and retailers of fake goods that enforcement bodies will work together effectively to tackle what is a multi-million pound crime.

"This would not have been possible without the guidance and hard work of Sergeant Clare Stretton, who organised the warrants and staffing on the day, but our thanks also extend to all the officers involved," said Mr Edwards.