Counterfeit Goods Pair Receive Confiscation Order

Updated:Mar 2010

Counterfeit Goods Pair Receive Confiscation Orders

On the 7th of August 2009, at Snaresbrook Crown Court, confiscation orders were made out to James O'Donnell and Reza Fazeli.

Between March 2004 and May 2006, Fazeli, aged 25 of Hornchurch, Essex and O'Donnell aged 26 of Chafford Hundred, Essex sold fake designer and luxury goods on Ebay earning them a considerable amount of money.

In November 2005, officers from the London Borough of Havering Trading Standards received a complaint from Worcestershire Trading Standards concerning an Ebay account registered in Essex which was believed to be selling counterfeit goods. The account was offering a large number of what purported to be Nike and Timberland products for sale. Representatives from both Trading Standards departments arranged to purchase a sample of the products being offered for sale and it was found that a pair of Nike trainers and Timberland boots were both confirmed as being counterfeit.

An address was searched in Essex that was provided during the test purchase where further counterfeit items were found.

On the 12th of January 2009, at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Fazeli pleaded guilty to three counts of Trade Mark Offences and O'Donnell pleaded guilty to six counts.

Sentencing was scheduled for the same date as the confiscation hearing. On the 7th of August 2009, the pair both received sentences of 51 weeks imprisonment suspended for 2 years and a community order for 150 hours of unpaid work.

London RART carried out the financial investigation in the operation. This resulted in Fazeli receiving a confiscation order for £5,000 and O'Donnell receiving an order for £18,276.25. Both were given 6 months to pay the order with a default sentence of 9 months given to O'Donnell and a default of 3 months given to Fazeli. If they fail to satisfy the order in the time given, they will serve the additional sentence.

Councillor Peter Gardner, Cabinet Member for Trading Standards said, "I'd like to praise the tenacity of our officers in bringing these crooks to justice. This kind of counterfeiting operation harms legitimate local business and in this current economic climate we are more determined then ever to protect jobs in Havering."

DCI Nick Downing, Head of London RART said, "The successful prosecution and subsequent confiscation of more then £23,000 of criminal assets reflects the thorough and professional investigation into organised criminal counterfeiting."