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PR: ACG announce award winners for excellence in anti-counterfeiting

The CTSI Symposium in Brighton was the event that the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) used to announce the 2019 winners of its Awards for Excellence in Anti-Counterfeiting.

The awards were originally introduced in 1994 to thank enforcement for its support and recognise significant enforcement activity in the fight against counterfeiting. Candidates are nominated by their peers and ACG members voted for their worthy winners.

The awards fall into five categories and the winners are:

Dave Hankinson Memorial Award for Individual Excellence in Anti-Counterfeiting Enforcement

Winner: Lynn Foster – Highland Council Trading Standards

Lynn is IP lead for Highland Trading Standards Service and member of the North of Scotland Partnership (IP Group). She mentors other neighbouring authorities in lead projects such as Operation Jasper and Sapphire and has recently secured an enforcement order against a seller regularly transporting large amounts of fake designer goods from Turkey. Lynn has also organised local events to inform and educate the public on the harms of buying fakes.

Highly Commended: Anne Marie Spalding – North Lanarkshire Council Trading Standards

Anne Marie has gone exceeded in her anti-counterfeiting efforts over the past six years. She has worked tirelessly to develop a joint effort between North and South Lanarkshire Trading Standard Service and Police Scotland. As an original member of the 2014 joint Trading Standards and Police team, she is involved in Operation Bichon which tackles the rise in counterfeits prior to Christmas.

Highly Commended: Dennis Chalmers – Stockport Trading Standards

Proved to be a fantastic subject matter expert, Denise advises on many investigations and always goes above and beyond in the level of detail and guidance provided. Dennis has been actively improving IP crime intelligence between Trading Standards, the Police and other enforcement bodies. Enabling improved intelligence and mapping of organised crime groups in the North West.

Departmental Award for Excellence in Anti-Counterfeiting Enforcement

Winner: Trading Standards Scotland

For developing and establishing current intelligence streams, providing evidence of direct importation and identifying a high level if criminally that resulted in large quantities of fake goods being seized worth in excess of £68,000.

Highly Commended: London Borough of Enfield Trading Standards

Targeted resources at town centres and markets due to the proliferation of counterfeit goods. Jewellers were targeted when it became apparent that 14 carat gold was being used in car brands, sports and fashion brands. Over 510 items of jewellery were seized. Enfield Trading Standards is now feeding into the intelligence picture through regional and strategic assessment collection data to drive future regional and national work streams. Working with agencies including the police, HMRC and the illegal money lending team.

Highly Commended: West Yorkshire Trading Standards

A two year investigation followed into an industrial-scale screen printing operation in Bradford which the registered trademarks were illegally printed onto clothing and distributed globally via eBay and Amazon. West Yorkshire Trading Standards put a stop to this eBay and Amazon business that generated global counterfeit sales of £472,898.09 over a five year period.

Highly Commended: Dorset Council Trading Standards

Dorset Council Trading Standards began an investigation in 2015 which ballooned into a full-scale counterfeit, fraud and money laundering operation. It lasted for three years and eventually in 2018 produced in a successful outcome. Trading Standards officers investigated a couple selling fraudulently signed Premier league football shirts, footballs and boots to online customers around the world. Investigators established that the couple made more than £1.8m, over a nine-year period. The investigation was unprecedented and one of the largest frauds ever taken on by Trading Standards.

Special Commendation Award for Excellence in Anti-Counterfeiting Enforcement

Awarded to:

Greater Manchester Police

Border Force at Felixstowe Port

Colin Chamberlain – Greater Manchester Police

Scamp, Tobacco Detection Dog – BWY Canine

Special ACG Achievement Award for Excellence in Anti-Counterfeiting Enforcement

Awarded to:

Tina Gibbons, Greenwich Trading Standards

OP BEORMA – Birmingham TS, CENTSA Regional Investigation Team and NTSeCT

Ealing TS with special mention to Mohammed Tariq, Brian Gohery and Peter Clarke

PSNI Belfast Review Team

Phil Lewis, ACG Director General commented “This is some of the very best enforcement work and we celebrate the success of these individuals and teams from across Trading Standards, Police, Border Force and other enforcement agencies.”




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