A Woolwich man who made more than £150,000 selling fake Justin Bieber and One Direction merchandise has been jailed.

Meraj Gul, 34, of Godfrey Road, was sentenced to 30 months in prison at Inner London Crown Court on June 2 after pleading guilty to selling goods with unauthorised trademarks.

Between March 2012 and February 2015 Gul sold the counterfeit pop merchandise on eBay

In July 2014, the City of London Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) received a crime report from Surelock International Limited, a private investigation company that conduct investigations on behalf of the music industry.

After carrying out test purchases on Gul’s eBay accounts, in which they bought hoodies, sweaters, t-shirts and vest tops, Surelock identified all of the items they received as counterfeit.

Warrants were carried out by PIPCU officers at two addresses in east London in February 2015, in which many items were seized, including; CCTV equipment, branded and non-branded clothing, stencil templates containing the designs of brands and machinery used to transfer logos and designs to unbranded clothing.

News Shopper:

A counterfeit Justin Bieber hoody.

Following examination of the branded clothing, brand holder representatives determined all of the items produced in evidence to be counterfeit.

Acting Detective Superintendent and Head of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), Peter Ratcliffe, said: “This sentencing proves that producing, selling and distributing fake goods online will not go unpunished. Not only does this act deprive the creative industry of revenue, it also puts the livelihoods of those working in it at risk.

“Through the hard work of our officers, and working with industry partners such as Surelock, we have effectively brought the man responsible to justice.

“We hope that this sentencing sends a warning to those carrying out this type of criminal activity and that their actions are not without consequences.”

News Shopper:

Gul sold fake merchandise on eBay for three years.

Director of Surelock, Ron Harrison, said: “Surelock are one of the UK’s most pro-active brand protection companies, who represent a number of clients including music artists where we act as enforcement agents for Trademarks and Rightsholders Against Piracy (TRAP). We received excellent service and cooperation from City of London Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU). A large amount of counterfeit merchandise was seized and this was ultimately a very successful operation for which we are grateful.”