COUNTERFEIT and illegally imported DVDs, CDs and games console games worth more than £500,000 have been seized by police in the North-East.
On Friday and Saturday, market stalls and addresses in South Tyneside and Seaham, County Durham, were raided, leading to 18 arrests.
Three people were released without charge and the rest were released on police bail pending further inquiries.
The operation, carried out by South Tyneside officers working in conjunction with trading standards officials and Fact (Federation Against Copyright Theft), was led by PC Warren Hedley, community beat manager for Beacon and Bents, in South Tyneside.
He said: "We believe we've had a substantial impact on a regional counterfeit operation."
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