Gloucestershire raid uncovers £100k of fake car parts, posing lethal safety risk

More than 3,600 counterfeit components were seized from a self-storage unit, highlighting the illegal trade that experts warn is putting one in six UK drivers in danger

Gloucestershire raid uncovers £100k of fake car parts, posing lethal safety risk
Image: Intellectual Property Office

Over 3,600 counterfeit car parts, including sensors, spark plugs, and oil filters, have been seized from an illicit trader operating out of a self-storage facility in South Gloucestershire. The raid, conducted by South Gloucestershire Trading Standards, uncovered items with an estimated market value exceeding £100,000.

The counterfeit components, which included fake versions of parts from major car manufacturers, are made with inferior materials and processes. They are not subjected to the rigorous safety testing required for genuine factory products, which dramatically increases the risk of accidents for motorists. Experts estimate that the illegal trade of counterfeit vehicle parts imported into the UK was worth almost £2.2 billion in 2021, a scale of activity that is believed to be putting one in six drivers in danger.

The operation involved enforcement teams from eight major car manufacturers, including Toyota and Stellantis, and was supported by the government’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

Helen Barnham, IPO’s deputy director of enforcement, stressed the severity of the issue: “Counterfeit vehicle parts can lead to life-changing or life-ending consequences for road users. This is anything but a victimless crime.”

Councillor Sean Rhodes, South Gloucestershire Council cabinet member for Trading Standards, echoed this warning: “Counterfeit vehicle parts are not just illegal – they are potentially lethal.”

Worryingly, a recent IPO survey found that one in six motorists had bought a counterfeit part in the previous 12 months, and 58 per cent admitted they did so knowingly to save money. The items most commonly purchased included batteries, tyres, and critically, brake components and airbags.

Motorists and garages are urged to be vigilant when purchasing parts, especially online, and to look for signs of fakes such as poor quality packaging, misspellings, and missing safety guidelines. The IPO’s message is clear: “fake always breaks.”

Source: Daily Mail

1 Comment

  1. Half the parts that motor factors supply from supposedly reputable manufacturers are inferior quality cheap Chinese copies of oem parts that cause all manner of issues. That is the biggest problem with parts in our industry.

    Reply

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