UK eBay seller found guilty of selling £150,000 worth of counterfeit goods

A UK eBay seller has been sentenced, after he was found guilty of selling £150,000 worth of counterfeit goods.

Mr Meraj Gul, London, reportedly made hundreds of thousands of pounds from selling ‘fake’ merchandise bearing the trade marks of popular singers such as Justin Bieber and One Direction via online marketplace eBay.

The 34-year-old’s crimes, which took place between March 2012 and February 2015, were unveiled after the City of London Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) received a crime report from a private investigations company that had carried out ‘test purchases’ on Mr Gul’s eBay accounts.

After obtaining search warrants, PIPCU seized several items of counterfeit clothing from two addresses in East London, both branded and un-branded.

PIPCU also seized stencil templates and machinery clearly used to transfer protected brand logos and designs onto unbranded hoodies, t-shirts and tank tops.

Mr Gul pleaded guilty to selling goods with unauthorised trade marks in Court, and was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment.

Commenting, Peter Ratcliffe, Acting Detective Superintendent and Head of PIPCU, said: “Through the hard work of our officers, and working with industry partners, we have effectively brought the man responsible to justice.

“This sentencing proves that producing, selling and distributing fake goods online will not go unpunished.

“Not only does this act deprive the creative industry of revenue, it also puts the livelihoods of those working in it at risk,” he added.

“We hope that this sentencing sends a warning to those carrying out this type of criminal activity and that their actions are not without consequences.”