Officers seize massive haul of counterfeit shoes, handbags, and clothes

Hundreds of thousands of euro worth of counterfeit shoes, handbags, and clothes destined to be sold on the Christmas market have been seized in Co Cork after a joint operation between customs and the gardaí.

Officers swooped on a warehouse on the western outskirts of Midleton at Owenacurra Business Park just before 3pm yesterday, where they discovered inferior products from China were being “upgraded” with designer labels which could have netted the counterfeiters “a huge profit”.

Three men, one understood to be in his 30s and the others middle-aged, were on the premises when the raid took place. All three were said to be Irish.