Police have broken up an organisation involved in bringing counterfeit goods into Spain, arresting twenty people and seizing over 200,000 counterfeit items.
The operation was a joint effort with the authorities in Portugal and the detainees were in Cataluña, Valencia, Madrid and Portugal.
The seized items included 5,000 iPhone 4s, tablet computers, laptops, watches, sunglasses, sportswear, bags, cigarette cases and lighters. Some of the items were ahead of the market, such as copies of mobile phones not yet on offer to the general public.
The counterfeit goods were camouflaged between original products and shipped by air and sea from China (and who would have guessed that?) for distribution in Portugal and Spain.
The leader of the organisation is an Indian national who controlled the whole business from his home in Castelldefels and through front companies and nominees.