UK authorities nab Facebook fake perfume seller

Police and Trading Standards officers in the UK have seized thousands of counterfeit perfumes from a Facebook seller.

The authorities acted on intelligence and raided a Facebook seller's home in Boston, Lincolnshire yesterday, discovering counterfeit versions of major perfume brands including Chanel, Dior, YSL, Hugo Boss and Giorgio Armani.

The seller responsible was known to be selling the fake fragrances on over 500 'items for sale in…. ' Facebook pages.

Dan Brown, senior trading standards officer at Lincolnshire County Council, said: "After significant intelligence from our social media channels and from other Trading Standards teams across the country, we worked with Lincolnshire Police to raid the Facebook seller's home address. We were shocked at what we found - there must have been thousands of bottles of counterfeit perfume piled up in the living room."

"For consumers who are choosing to buy these products - they might think they are getting a bargain, but counterfeit products are usually made up of ingredients which are harmful. Many counterfeit perfumes can contain poisonous chemicals including cyanide and even human urine which can be very harmful and toxic."

Further investigations are now ongoing, said Trading Standards in a statement.