10.4 C
Manchester
Saturday, June 7, 2025
CrimeBrothers sentenced for selling counterfeit homeware in Cheetham Hill

Brothers sentenced for selling counterfeit homeware in Cheetham Hill

Mohammed Jamshid Ayoubi (50) of Westbourne Road, Eccles, and Mohammed Tamim Ayoubi (42) of Windsor Avenue, Whitefield, pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates Court last May, to the acquisition of criminal property and distributing articles infringing trademarks.

At Manchester Crown Court on February 2, Mohammed Jamshid Ayoubi was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and must complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

Mohammed Tamim Ayoubi was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and must complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

Counterfeit goods

Fraudulent designer homeware, including picture frames, blankets and rugs, worth an estimated loss to the industry of £827,000, were seized by officers from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at the City of London Police, during a raid of the shop in November 2021.

Confiscation proceedings will now begin to recover the money that the two men earned by selling counterfeit goods.

Detective constable Daryl Fryatt, from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at the City of London Police, said: “Counterfeiting is often a gateway to other forms of criminality like drugs supply, money laundering and human trafficking, causing real harm to the communities where these shops are based.

“Mohammed Jamshid and his brother Mohammed Tamim Ayoubi sold low-quality imitations of designer products. Like many counterfeit goods, their stock was made with cheap materials, meaning it was prone to faster damage and needed to be replaced more often than legitimate products.

“It’s vital to remember that buying counterfeit goods can have significant consequences – and selling them can land you with a criminal record, as this case shows.”

Tolo Décor Ltd

Mohammed Jamshid Ayoubi was the director of Tolo Décor Ltd, which sold both unbranded and counterfeit homeware from two adjoining units, Tolo and Best Deals on Derby Street, Manchester. A wall that separated the two premises had been knocked through to create a larger sales floor.

He employed Mohammed Tamim Ayoubi, who worked on the shop floor, where customers could buy sets of counterfeit designer towels for £20 and sets of counterfeit placemats for £25.

PIPCU officers raided Tolo and Best Deals on 30 November 2021. They seized 4,342 counterfeit items, worth an estimated £827,000 in losses to the industry, from a stockroom at the back of the shop and arrested Mohammed Tamim and Mohammed Jamshid Ayoubi.

Both men’s mobile phones and a laptop seized from Tolo contained conversations with a number of clients where it was apparent that counterfeit items were being sold from the shop.

Cheetham Hill

Miles Rees, deputy director of Intellectual Property Enforcement at the Intellectual Property Office, said: “Criminals are seeking to exploit consumers and communities for their own financial gain by targeting them with illegal counterfeit products – with little or no regard for their quality or safety.

“This is anything but a victimless crime. Overall, it is estimated that the sale of counterfeit goods contributes to more than 80,000 job losses in the UK each year, diverting funds away from legitimate businesses and into the hands of criminals. This helps to sustain criminal lifestyles, as well as causing genuine harms to the workers often exploited during their production.

“We welcome the ongoing action to disrupt this criminal activity in the Cheetham Hill area, as we continue working with our partners in industry and law enforcement to help protect the public and raise awareness of the damage counterfeits cause”.

Helen Greaney
Helen Greaney
I'm a journalist with more than 18 years' experience on local, regional and national newspapers, as well as PR and digital marketing. Crime and the courts is my specialist area but I'm also keen to hear your stories concerning Manchester and the greater North West region.
Latest

Bouquet basics for Dad: Flower expert shares how to make those Father’s Day blooms last

A flower expert has revealed his top tips for dads to look after their blooms if they receive them for Father’s Day. Colourful bouquets and...

The Kim Jong Un Billboard That’s Shaking Up Manchester’s Fashion Scene

An eye-catching new billboard in Manchester featuring North Korea’s leader is challenging norms—and turning sustainable fashion on its head. A giant image of Kim Jong...

Heat Engineer Software Limited receives significant investment from Greenarc

Heat Engineer Software, the Lancashire based company at the forefront of heat loss calculations and the sizing of both renewable and traditional heating equipment,...

Pioneering project to change way people travel in Britain

A pioneering project is set to transform how people explore and move across Britain and Ireland. Slow Ways, a non-profit Community Interest Company, has already...
Subscribe to our newsletter
Business Manchester will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.
Don't miss

The Kim Jong Un Billboard That’s Shaking Up Manchester’s Fashion Scene

An eye-catching new billboard in Manchester featuring North Korea’s leader is challenging norms—and turning sustainable fashion on its head. A giant image of Kim Jong...

Pioneering project to change way people travel in Britain

A pioneering project is set to transform how people explore and move across Britain and Ireland. Slow Ways, a non-profit Community Interest Company, has already...

Bouquet basics for Dad: Flower expert shares how to make those Father’s Day blooms last

A flower expert has revealed his top tips for dads to look after their blooms if they receive them for Father’s Day. Colourful bouquets and...

Heat Engineer Software Limited receives significant investment from Greenarc

Heat Engineer Software, the Lancashire based company at the forefront of heat loss calculations and the sizing of both renewable and traditional heating equipment,...

More News

Detective convicted of sexual offences is dismissed

Greater Manchester Police have dismissed detective sergeant Richard Mills and barred him from policing at an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing. Mills was sentenced to 18 months...

Eight years behind bars for man who threw acid at teenager’s face

A man has been jailed after throwing a corrosive substance over a 16-year-old boy during an attack in Stockport. Gilson Martins (23) of Ashton Street,...

33 arrests, 80 traffic offences and £19,000 of illegal vapes seized in Bury

Officers in Bury made a total of 33 arrests on Thursday, for a range of offences including drug supply and burglary as part of...