Mayo businesses raided in major garda operation
More than 800 counterfeit Apple products have been seized in Mayo this week.
Over 800 suspected counterfeit items have been seized by gardaí in Mayo following a two-day operation in the Castlebar, Westport, Ballinrobe and Claremorris areas.
The inter-agency search operation targeted intellectual property (IP) crime and was took place earlier this week, conducted by Mayo/Roscommon/Longford Crime Unit, Mayo South Community Engagement, Garda National Immigration Bureau and the Intellectual Property Crime Investigation Unit of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI).
Assistance was also provided by colleagues in Revenue Customs, Workplace Relations Commission and the Social Welfare Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
A number of business premises were searched as part of this operation and the items seized were fake Apple products (subject to examination) with an estimated loss of revenue of €160,000.
No arrests have been made at this time and investigations are ongoing.
According to An Garda Siochana, intellectual property crime is estimated to cost the EU economy over €85 billion per year and can pose serious risks to public health, safety and job security.
