Trading watchdogs believe the problem of counterfeit goods is getting worse despite smashing a Turkish-based ring which was supplying fake designer clothing to this country.

The giant operation was discovered following a routine trading standards inspection at Finmere market, near Bicester.

More than £750,000 worth of fake designer goods were traced back to Turkey, packed and ready to be shipped across Europe, including the UK.

Principle trading standards officer for Buckinghamshire, Terry Carter said they have close links with companies like Marlboro, which worked closely with trading standards.

He said: "Counterfeiting is worth a lot of money and it is a very good to have a result like this.

"We shall continue to monitor car boot sales and Sunday markets although the problem of counterfeiting is getting worse."

The Turkish link began in December 1996, when officers were checking stallholders at the Finmere Sunday market.

Yusuf Ahmed, from East London, was fined £2,000 for selling a large amount of fake designer clothes.

A total of 800 fake goods were confiscated and he was arrested and charged. He was fined £2,000 by Buckingham magistrates earlier this year. Marlboro and trading standards officers traced the source to a factory in Turkey.

A raid was carried out by Turkish officials and a total of 35,000 pairs of fake Marboro jeans, along with other lucrative brand names, were seized. The factory is now being monitored.

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