Two arrested in police raid of counterfeit goods - worth £6 million
It was part of an operation carried out last week by Trading Standards and officers from Greater Manchester Police
Around £6 million worth of 'high-end counterfeit goods' have been seized by GMP officers and Trading Standards in Rochdale.
The action was carried out on the afternoon of Thursday 1 May 2025, when Trading Standards and officers from the Rochdale Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) attended a joint visit to a business park, at Crown Top Lane, following intelligence received that an Organised Crime Gang (OCG) from Cheetham Hill had extended their operation and opened another site in Rochdale.
The visit was part of a targeted operation, which tackles organised crime in the Castleton area of Rochdale.
When they got there, officers discovered seven units which contained fake goods, including a range of branded sports trainers, perfumes, luxury accessories, high-end tech products and illicit cigarettes.
A 70-year-old and a 29-year-old who were at the site when officers attended the units were arrested on suspicion of possession and control of counterfeit goods.
They have been bailed pending further enquiries.
GMP say because of the scale of the boxed goods, the scene was secured overnight and officers and trading standards returned on Friday 2 May with an HGV to recover all the items.
In the last financial year through activity that occurred across the force, a total of £17,715,283.24 in cash and assets was seized and recovered from organised criminals.
Through the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS), a large proportion of money that is seized from criminals as a result of policing activity is given back to the community.
'We take any intelligence submitted by the public seriously'
Inspector Anthony Taylor, from GMP’S Rochdale Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Yesterday we made a visit to an industrial unit following intelligence we had received about organised criminality and counterfeit goods.
“Officers from our Neighbourhood Policing Team, alongside partners from Trading Standards, discovered various high-end counterfeit goods to the estimated value of £6 million.
“We arrested two men aged 70 and 29 at the scene on suspicion of possession and control of counterfeit goods. They have been released on bail pending further enquiries.
“We take any intelligence submitted by the public seriously and act upon it according. If you have any concerns about organised criminals operating in your area, please get in touch with us.”
Anyone with information can contact police on 101 or via the LiveChat function on the GMP website.
Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.