Border Force Cracks Down on Fake Christmas Gifts Worth £170K
Just in time for Christmas, UK Border Force has smashed a huge haul of counterfeit electrical goods valued at over £170,000. The three-week blitz, dubbed Operation Rivean, targeted fake electrical products sneaking into the UK as festive presents.
Massive Seizures of Fake Haircare and Toothbrush Products
- 250 counterfeit Dyson haircare items, worth nearly £100,000 if real
- 120 fake GHD hair tools estimated at almost £32,000
- 640 non-branded hair straighteners banned for safety reasons
- 8,880 counterfeit Oral-B and Philips Sonicare electric toothbrush heads valued over £42,000
The non-branded straighteners pose serious fire and safety risks, failing UK health regulations.
Ministers and Experts Warn of Dangers and Crime Links
Tom Pursglove MP, Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery, slammed the counterfeit trade for endangering shoppers and fuelling organised crime. He praised Border Force officers for their tireless work and urged consumers to stick to genuine products this Christmas.
“These fake goods threaten consumers, support serious crime, and cost UK jobs,” Pursglove said.
Giles Lane, Senior IP Legal Counsel for Dyson, warned festive shoppers to be wary of counterfeit deals online and recommended buying directly from trusted retailers.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) reveals a staggering 98% of fake electrical goods fail safety checks, risking fires, injury, and damage.
Wider Crackdown Sees Nearly One Million Fakes Removed in 2023
The operation is just part of the Border Force’s ongoing war on knock-off goods. This year alone, over 2,000 seizures have taken nearly a million counterfeit items off the market, with a combined value of nearly £200 million if genuine.
Recent hauls include fake Apple, Samsung, and PlayStation gear worth over half a million pounds, intercepted at Felixstowe Port.
Miles Rees, Deputy Director of IP Enforcement at the IPO, stressed the trade’s wider harm: job losses, funding crime, and dangerous, poor-quality products reaching consumers.
How the Public Can Help
Border Force teams work closely with brands to verify seized items, which are destroyed. Importers risk prosecution. Authorities urge anyone who suspects they’ve bought a fake to report it to Action Fraud.
Smuggling tips can be handed in anonymously through Crimestoppers or reported via GOV.UK.
This festive crackdown is all about protecting consumers, UK businesses, and the economy from the hidden dangers of counterfeit products.
