Police swooped on one of Britain’s most famous markets and seized more than £100,000 worth of counterfeit goods.
Officers descended on New Covent Garden Market in London on Tuesday and confiscated hoards of shoes, handbags and watches.
Shoppers were also horrified to find one vendor selling fake Viagra and vodka.
Officers descended on New Covent Garden Market in London and seized a lorry-load of goods
Teams of police swooped on 400-stall market in Nine Elms, south west London
Saunders Markets Ltd, which runs the 400-stall market in Nine Elms, south west London, said it carries out checks on stalls and their owners.
But one shopper said counterfeit goods were ‘rife at stall after stall’.
He said: ‘There was so much copied gear it was unbelievable, it was everything from Prada to Chanel, there was perfume – there was so much fake stuff openly there.
‘You go to a market sometimes and see bits of it here and there, but this was stall after stall with copies.
‘I was quite shocked walking around, there was Viagra, vodka and perfume but you have no idea what’s in it, it’s quite worrying.’
Queenstown Police tweeted: ‘Successful operation resulting in a lorry load of counterfeit goods seized. @MPSWandsworth teamed up with trading standards to shut down a number of stalls in New Covent Garden Market’
The goods including shoes, handbags and watches with a street value of £100,000
Saunders Markets Ltd, which runs the 400-stall market said it carries out checks on stalls and their owners
Dozens of fake designer purses were seized – alongside Viagra and vokda
Queenstown Police tweeted: ‘Successful operation resulting in a lorry load of counterfeit goods seized @MPSWandsworth teamed up with trading standards to shut down a number of stalls in New Covent Garden Market’
‘Neighbourhood officers teamed up with several organisations including Trading Standards and 11 brand holders to eradicate the stalls that have impacted around 20 high street brands.’
In 2011, Wandsworth Council’s Trading Standards Team the Covent Garden Market Authority and Saunders Markets pledged to eradicate fakes.
A witness said: ‘Someone could have bought that perfume and it could caused harm to someone’s skin, but if it was something taken orally like the medication it could have had catastrophic events.
‘I’m surprised something wasn’t done sooner.’
Saunders Markets Ltd and the Metropolitan Police have been contacted for comment.