Busted in JB: Businesses passing off fake designer goods as genuine

Aris Mamat (second from left) showing the fake designer bags seized in the operation.

JOHOR BARU: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has seized 407 fake branded items worth RM81,811 from four business premises in an operation here Wednesday (Jan 30).

Its enforcement chief Aris Mamat said most of the items seized were knock-offs bags of designer brands such as Prada, Chanel and Louis Vuitton.

"The operation was conducted after one week's investigation on the four businesses located in a shopping mall here.

"We have been monitoring the shopping mall since last year as several business premises selling fake items had been found there before," he said in press conference.

He added that the operation was conducted by 16 enforcement officers at about 12.30pm on Tuesday (Jan 29).

Aris said that these businesses displayed original versions of the bags but would give its customers the knock-off instead when they made their purchase.

"It is not easy to identify the fake bags as these look similar to the originals.

"From the price tags on the bags, we believe that these were sold from RM500 to RM2,000 each," he said.

Aris said that the case was being investigated under Section 8(2)(b) of the Trade Descriptions Act 2011.

He added that the seized items would be evaluated by experts from its trademark owner as part of the investigation.

"Some 14 cases has been reported under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 this year alone, with RM323,991 worth of items seized.

"Meanwhile, last year we have recorded 76 of such cases with seized items worth RM521,754," he said.