A 45-year-old woman from Ingoldmells has been jailed for 30 months after admitting to selling counterfeit luxury goods valued at more than £1 million from her retail store.
Trading Standards officers conducted a raid on the shop in 2023 and uncovered over 1,600 fake items. These included handbags and clothing falsely branded as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Gucci.
During the investigation, officers found the counterfeit products concealed in wheelie bins and a back storeroom. Samples of the goods were sent to the respective brands, which confirmed that the items were counterfeit. The potential retail value if sold as genuine was estimated at £1.25 million.
At Lincoln Crown Court, Matilda Price admitted to six charges related to the unauthorised use of trademarks and one charge of possessing criminal property. She acknowledged her involvement in the operation for around 15 months.
Passing sentence, Judge Simon Hirst stated there was no evidence that Price was coerced into the illegal activity. “This was your shop. You were paying the rent,” he said, highlighting her full responsibility for the offences.
In mitigation, Price’s barrister described the scheme as an unsophisticated operation, noting that Price ordered the counterfeit goods using her own surname.
Originally published by UKNIP.
