Ingoldmells trader jailed after £1.25m counterfeit haul uncovered
An Ingoldmells shop owner has been jailed after Lincolnshire Trading Standards uncovered counterfeit designer goods with a potential value of more than £1.25 million.
Matilda Price, 45, of Anchor Lane, Ingoldmells, was sentenced to a total of 30 months in prison following an investigation into counterfeit goods being sold from the Fie and Best store.
The case was heard at court on Monday, June 8, where the judge reduced the sentence by 10 per cent after Price entered a guilty plea.
Lincolnshire Trading Standards officers carried out raids at the business in 2023 and discovered a huge quantity of counterfeit designer merchandise.
Among the items seized were handbags and fashion accessories bearing the names of luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Chloe, Prada, Chanel and Marc Jacobs.
In total, 1,650 counterfeit items were recovered and have now been ordered to be forfeited and destroyed under the Trade Marks Act.
Emma Milligan, from Lincolnshire Trading Standards, said the scale of the operation and the length of time the offending had taken place left the court with little option but to impose an immediate custodial sentence.
"The judge in this case found that an immediate custodial sentence was the only option, given the potential value of the goods was £1.25 million, and the fact that evidence showed that she had been engaged in this activity for 15 months prior to the raid," she said.
"This sends out a clear message to anyone who might be thinking about selling counterfeit goods – the consequences are serious and real."
The court also imposed a victim surcharge and collection order.
Lincolnshire County Council's executive councillor for Trading Standards, Cllr Alex McGonigle, said counterfeit goods were far from being a victimless crime.
"Counterfeit products are often made in factories that exploit workers or use child labour, and the trade in these products often funds other criminal gang activity," he said.
"They can be dangerous to consumers, but ultimately these products are illegal and have no place in Lincolnshire shops."
Trading Standards is continuing its work to tackle the sale of counterfeit goods, illicit tobacco and illegal vapes across the county.
Anyone with information about criminal trading activity is encouraged to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org/.