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Ballymena police station, Co Antrim Google Street View

Two arrested and cars seized during counterfeit car parts inquiry

PSNI also seized what it believes are fake car products for luxury brands including Porsche and Mercedes.

TWO PEOPLE HAVE been arrested in Ballymena and cars seized as part of a PSNI investigation into counterfeit car parts.

The 47-year-old man and 44-year-0ld woman are being held at Ballymena police station for questioning.

A Porsche and BMW were seized, as were items believed to be counterfeit products for auto brands Audi, Mercedes, Porsche and BMW, including key fobs, badges and wheel caps.

Detective Inspector Todd Clements, from the PSNI’s organised crime branch, said:

Following a complaint from a car manufacturer, police have searched properties in Ballymena, Portstewart and Belfast. Officers have seized a significant amount of what we believe are counterfeit car products being sold online in a business with a substantial turnover.

Clements said that the market for car products for these brands “runs into millions of pounds” and any attempts to subvert that market through the sale and supply of counterfeit products “are jeopardising jobs and reducing company profits”.

“We are also in the process of obtaining restraint orders on a house in the Galgorm area of Ballymena and two properties in Portstewart and a number of bank accounts,” Clements added.

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6 Comments
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    Mute Mad Taoiseach
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    Aug 21st 2014, 2:38 PM

    Badges? Key fobs?
    Mega bust.

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    Mute Itsthe Law
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    Aug 21st 2014, 8:33 PM

    Hold on, there were wheel caps also,One can only imagine the embarrassment discovering you hubcaps are counterfeit.

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    Mute jason bourne
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    Aug 21st 2014, 2:50 PM

    On a different note but somewhat similar, but my road bike was stolen recently from drury street.. 1,300 euro of my hard earned cash gone! I did what most people do and checked the classifieds websites with no luck until I spotted my frame with a little distinct sticker I had on it near the handlebars! The bà*tards had changed the wheels, saddle and handlebar! Just a piece of advice for people when trying to mark their bikes!

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    Mute Ablitive
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    Aug 21st 2014, 3:10 PM

    Most of the car parts that you purchase in motor factors are counterfeit…(Spurious would be the term used)

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    Mute MD
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    Aug 21st 2014, 6:20 PM

    Spurious is not counterfeit,counterfeit is spurious parts being sold in genuine packaging,when you go to a motor factors and buy spurious parts you know what your getting for your money

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    Mute Boganity
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    Aug 21st 2014, 3:04 PM

    “Inquiry” that’s a quaint way of putting it

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