Six people were arrested in a crackdown on money laundering and fake goods in Camden Town.

City of London Police raided a shop in Camden High Street on Wednesday (July 17) and seized clothing, shoes, watches and other items worth an estimated £5 million loss to the retail industry.

Six people were arrested on suspicion of distributing articles infringing trademarks and money laundering offences.

The comes as part of an ongoing crackdown on the counterfeit goods trade in the area, police said.

Those arrested have been released under investigation.

Inspector Pete Luciano of Camden police said: "The sale of counterfeit goods is linked to wider issues such as money laundering and organised crime which has a significant impact on the local community.

"Operations like this will continue in Camden Town in order to protect legitimate businesses, residents and our visiting community," he added.

A police officer inside the premisesA police officer inside the premises (Image: City of London Police)

Since August 2023, 14 people have been arrested on suspicion of offences related to the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods in an operation led by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU).

Items worth an estimated £13 million have been seized in operations supported by partners across law enforcement.

Detective Sergeant Ben Hobbs of PIPCU said: “Our latest operation in Camden sends a clear message – there is nowhere to hide when it comes to storing and selling counterfeit goods.

“Counterfeiting has an incredibly negative impact on our communities.

“Counterfeit items are produced with little regard for the safety of consumers or the workers who make them, so consumers often end up with a poor quality, potentially dangerous product," he added.

Genuine products in the Camden store had been sold on the ground floor and most of the counterfeit products seized by police were found in the basement.

"While counterfeit goods may seem like a harmless bargain, the trade in these products can often fund other criminal activity such as money laundering, forced labour and drug operations," City of London Police added.