A company on Strangeway's notorious 'Conterfeit Street' has been slapped with a £40,000 fine after being caught selling hundreds of fake designer handbags.
Some 769 handbags, holdalls and purses were seized when police raided Jamie Bags Ltd, in Woolley Street.
Brands included Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Bulgari and Hello Kitty.
And it was not the first time action had been taken against the firm.
In September 2017 a warning was issued against the business due to suspected trademark violations.
Following the seizure of goods, which took place in September 2018, the company’s director, Giacomo Chen, was interviewed under caution by the council.
In the court the firm later pleaded guilty to four offences of having counterfeit goods in possession for supply.
And at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday (February 4) Judge Nicholas Dean QC fined the company £37,500, and ordered costs of £3,843.88 to be paid.
A forfeiture order was also made.
Coun Rabnawaz Akbar, executive member for neighbourhoods for Manchester council, said: "This is a fantastic result for our trading standards and legal teams and represents more than two years of hard work to ensure this conviction was secured.
“Counterfeit trading is an offence that we take very seriously, knowing that it is a gateway to even more serious crimes such as drug dealing, human trafficking and violent crime.
"Money that flows through counterfeit shops often ends up in the hands of organised criminals which is why we are determined to cut off these sources of revenue.
"This is one of the largest financial penalties we have seen in recent times and I hope it sends a message that selling fake goods is not something you can get away with."
As the Manchester Evening News has reported, many of the shops around Bury New Road in Strangeways have repeatedly defied the national lockdowns to continue trading.
In December one shop was closed down after it was found 'found trading illegally in a premises that lacked any Covid-19 safety measures'.
