Alex Trelinski
EIGHT street market stall holders in Benidorm have been arrested for selling counterfeit clothing claiming to be well-known prestigious brands.
The Policia Nacional sprung into action after getting a complaint from one of the affected manufacturers over the local sale of fake goods, tagged with their logo.
Several vendors were identified operating from ten stalls and 1,777 counterfeit items were removed to be examined further.
An expert confirmed to police that bogus items were being sold to unsuspecting buyers- mainly tourists.
The eight detained stall holders were of Spanish, Moroccan, and Senegalese nationality.
The latest police action comes on top of regular inspections and arrests in Benidorm to stop fake goods being sold, but some traders are still prepared to take the risk of being caught.
The Policia Nacional pointed out that they actively fight to protect the legitimacy of branded and copyrighted items which if copied, takes away income from honest retailers and producers.
Under Spanish law, selling counterfeit goods can lead to a maximum penalty of four years in prison.
READ MORE:
- Thousands of fake branded football shirts and clothing seized by police in Benidorm area of Spain
- Benidorm shops in Spain caught selling fake-branded clothes with €200,000 retail value
- Mass fakery at Benidorm ‘English Zone’ market on Spain’s Costa Blanca
