Large quantities of suspected counterfeit goods have been seized in trading standards raids related to Bovingdon market.

Officers raided addresses in Luton and Dunstable on July 25 and found CDs and DVDs, handbags, sunglasses and cosmetics all appearing to be from well-known brands.

Trading standards said one of the premises appeared to be set up to manufacture counterfeit CDs and DVDs, being kitted out with blank disks and cases, printers and three DVD burner towers capable of mass producing hundreds of disks per hour.

The raids were part of a joint operation involving Hertfordshire Trading Standards, Bedfordshire Police, the Federation against Copyright Theft, the British Recorded Music Industry and an officer from Cambridgeshire Trading Standards.

Richard Thake, Hertfordshire County Council ’s cabinet member for community safety said: "These raids are an indication of our determination to stamp out the sale of counterfeit goods and hopefully they will serve as a deterrent to other would-be counterfeiters.

"We would also like to warn consumers of the dangers of purchasing counterfeit goods. These items are often of inferior quality and can be potentially dangerous."

The recent raids come after the market itself was raiding in April as part of a crackdown counterfeiting goods. In the raid hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit goods were seized including clothes, trainers, jewellery, make-up and handbags.

Following the more recent raid, David Wood, British Recorded Music Industry director of anti-piracy, said: "The sale of counterfeit CDs and DVDs is an illegal practice which harms investment in new music and costs the record industry up to £100 million each year in the UK.

"We would like to thank Hertfordshire Trading Standards for its diligent work to date in this investigation."

Anyone who suspects they may have been sold counterfeit goods is urged to contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 for help and advice.