A shop owner has been caught trying to sell £700,000 worth of fake watches, including more than 100 knock off Rolexes, from a store near Aldgate East Station in London.
Baldeep Singh Arora was caught selling counterfeit Rolex, Omega and Hublot watches by Tower Hamlets Trading standard officers and he could have to pay back any money he made from illegally selling the watches.
The council found 132 counterfeit watches as well as straps, boxes and bags, when officers inspected 5 Star Trading Ltd on Goulston Street in 2017.
During the inspection the shop owner was caught trying to leave with a box of watches.
He was handed a 20 month sentence suspended for two years over trade mark issues to do with six Omega watches, three Hublot watches, nine Cartier watches, and 103 Rolex watches.
A second charge, relating to another 141 watches, was ordered to lie on file.
Tower Hamlets council said there is now a proceeds of crime investigation into the shop owner's finances, meaning he could be ordered to pay back any money he made selling the items.
Mr Arora had previously been prosecuted by Tower Hamlets Trading Standards Service for similar offences in 2003 and 2008.Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor, said: “Selling counterfeit goods is not a victimless crime.
“It takes money away from legitimate businesses and the faked items are usually lower quality and can be unsafe.“We will continue to inspect businesses in our borough and take action against anyone selling fake goods.”
