June 20, 2022
Reading time • 5 min
Trademark experts in police operation with market traders in Vila do Conde
Public Security Police also seized more than 1100 counterfeit items. Counterfeit clothes, shoes and bags were loudly announced in front of the police officers who ensured the event’s security.
An operation that mobilized about 70 police officers ended, on Friday, with the arrest of 17 market traders. They were selling counterfeit clothing, footwear and luggage at the Vila do Conde fair. The police action, which included the participation of experts from 18 commercial brands, also involved five house raids, during which part of the 1178 counterfeit items identified by the Public Security Police were seized.
The Vila do Conde fair has always been associated with the sale of counterfeit material, However, over the past few months, the number of marketers selling illegal products has been increasing, which led to several complaints from brands that had their logos printed on jackets, shoes and bags displayed in the stalls.
To put an end to the phenomenon, the Public Security Police carried out a large-scale operation and, on Friday, deployed 40 agents from the Criminal Investigation Division to the fair, supported by 20 elements of the Special Police Unit, plus some units of the Rapid Intervention Teams and the Vila do Conde squad.
The approximately 70 police officers arrived at the fair at 11am and immediately saw sportswear and equipment from the main Portuguese clubs and the National Team on sale in many of the stalls. They also heard the marketers loudly announcing the sale of counterfeit jackets, shoes and bags. The sale of this prohibited material was carried out in plain sight and without the slightest effort to hide it from the police officers who usually ensure the security of that fair.
Those detained will go to court on Monday
Until 2 pm, the Public Security Police went through all the stalls and, in the end, detained ten women and seven men. All are indicated for the sale of counterfeit material, and were taken to the police station. Before being released, they were notified to appear in court on Monday morning.
Simultaneously, following an ongoing investigation, searches were conducted at the homes of five of the detained market traders. This police action allowed more counterfeit goods to be found, with the total of seized counterfeit goods rising to 1178.
The operation involved the participation of experts from 18 commercial brands who, on the spot, confirmed whether the clothing and footwear on sale at the stalls were original or counterfeit.
