The raids on fake goods suppliers in Costa Blanca have led to a setback for illegal street sellers

Elche has taken down a MAJOR supplier who supplied fake goods to street vendors in tourist areas of Costa Blanca.

Two warehouses containing 36,000 counterfeit items with a potential retail value of over €780,000 were raided by the Guardia Civil.

Five men with nationalities of Chinese and Moroccan as well as Ecuadorian have been arrested on charges of copyright infringement.

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Torrevieja’s Policia Local participated in the investigation. Many street hawkers who are not licensed in the town get their supplies in Elche.

The majority of items are imported clothing that legally passed customs checks, but was then altered with well-known brands logos.

Investigations revealed a multi-layered system of importers, as well as primary and secondary distributors.

Experts accompanied Guardia Civil officers during the raids on warehouses to confirm the distribution of fakes.

In another move against the sale of counterfeit goods, the Policia Nacional raided an Benidorm store.

The 43-year old store owner arrested for allegedly selling 1,111 fakes.