Wembley man fined for selling fake goods on Ebay

A FLORIST who had a blooming business selling fake mobile phone accessories on Ebay has been fined more than �4,500.

Jayesh Patel, 39, of The Avenue, Wembley, duped his unknowing customers by passing off cheap imitation chargers and batteries as the genuine article on the online auction site.

Brent Magistrates’ Court heard between May 2009 and September last year, Patel pocket �8,000 from his online sales.

Patel, who owns two flower shops, came to the attention of Brent and Harrow Trading Standards Service (BHTSS) after a disgruntled customer lodged a complaint.

Officers from BHTSS bought a Nokia charger from his Ebay site and after tests proved it was counterfeit they raided his home and businesses.

In one of his flower shops ‘Jayesh Florist’ in High Road, Willesden, officers found fake accessories for well-known brands including Nokia, Blackberry and Apple.

Subsequent tests on the seized items deemed them to be so dangerous that anyone using them could get an electric shock.

Patel claimed he had requested genuine products from his China-based supplier and he had presumed they were authentic as his supplier was also providing similar goods to other British customers.

He admitted five offences under The Trade Marks Act 1994 and the Consumer Protection Act 1987, was fined �2,500 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of �2,020 to BHTSS.

Bill Bilon, head of BHTSS, said: “This case illustrates how important it is for businesses to ensure that the goods that they are selling are not counterfeit or unsafe.

“It is generally thought that counterfeiting is a victimless crime, but there have been cases of serious injuries and even fatalities from using fake goods which had not been constructed in accordance with our safety standards.

“My advice to anyone thinking of importing anything into this country is to make sure that they have thoroughly researched all the necessary aspects of the goods, including their authenticity and safety.”