THE ORGANISED CRIME Branch of the PSNI today seized over 20,000 counterfeit Apple and electronic items in Belfast and Portadown in Co Armagh.

The seized goods consisted of counterfeit AirPods, Apple chargers, iPhones, smartwatches, mobile phones, phone cases, charging cables and vapes.

A sum of cash was also seized.

The PSNI said the products represented an estimated loss to Apple and the other high street brands of £600,000 (€702,000).

A PSNI spokesperson said the investigation stemmed from seizures made in December 2023 in the East Midlands.

Today’s operation resulted in a 24-year-old man being arrested in Portadown on suspicion of immigration offences.

He has been taken to Musgrave Police Station for questioning.

The spokesperson added: “The criminals will attempt to copy anything, from clothing and jewellery to, in this case, electronic items.

“Some consumers may unwittingly buy counterfeit goods, while others – pleased to have snatched an affordable replica – will be unaware of the hidden implications.”

However, the spokesperson said the “grim reality is that proceeds from the sale of counterfeit goods often fund serious organised crime, including drug dealing, money laundering and human trafficking”.

The spokesperson also noted that there are health and safety risks associated with the use of some counterfeit goods, including electrical items. 

“These items don’t undergo the testing and quality control that genuine items do,” the spokesperson said.

“A counterfeit phone charger, for example, won’t meet fire safety standards, and the attraction of ‘saving’ a few pounds could end up costing you your home.”

The spokesperson also warned that the majority of fake goods are produced in sweatshops where “vulnerable individuals work tirelessly in horrific conditions, and get paid a pittance in return”.