Trading standards RSS feed for the Trading standards tag
found 15 stories.
News
Express & Star 30 Jan 11
A £5.7 million haul of fakes including copied DVDs, computer games and bogus designer clothes has been seized across the Black Country in just 10 months, new figures reveal.
Counterfeiters cashing in on the credit crunch have sent the value of the racket soaring nearly five-fold in less than a year…
News
B'ham Post 29 Oct 10
Four car clampers have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud over their involvement with a city centre car clamping scheme that collected more than £100,000 from at least 300 motorists.
The operation came to light after hundreds of angry drivers complained to Birmingham City Council’s trading standards department because their vehicles had been clamped or towed away after they had parked for just a few minutes in the Digbeth area of the city…
News
Express & Star 30 Jul 10
Surveillance powers were used by councils across the Black Country to crack counterfeit scams, benefit fraud and clamp down on anti-social behaviour in the last two years.
Walsall Council used the act – which was initially designed to fight terrorism – most, with 216 instances for the financial years between 2008 and 2010 to investigate anti-social behaviour, benefit fraud and trading standards operations…
Business
B'ham Post 27 Apr 10
More than 200 victims from the West Midlands who owned ‘toxic sofas’ that caused serious burns will receive payouts from a multi-million pound settlement at the High Court…
News
TheYamYam 19 Apr 10
A 51-year-old private hire driver has been banned from driving for 6 months after being caught illegally plying for hire. Mohammed Sarfraz Sheikh of Stafford Street, Walsall was found guilty at Walsall Magistrates today (Monday).
As well as receiving a six month driving ban, he was fined £155 for plying, £135 for being an unlicensed operator and given a £200 fine for driving without insurance. Magistrates ordered him to pay £509.58 costs plus £15 victim surcharge.
Plying for hire is where a private hire driver stops and takes a fare in the street without it being prior booked.
Mr Sheikh was caught in an undercover operation conducted by Walsall Council’s licensing enforcement officers in Walsall town centre on 17 October 2009.
John Beavon, trading standards manager for Walsall Council said: “Thanks to our licensing officers, this case proves once again that we won’t tolerate this kind of behaviour.
“A private hire driver can only take people on pre-booked journeys. The law prevents them stopping the car to pick-up anyone who has not booked.”
People with complaints about private hire vehicles or taxis can contact Walsall Council’s licensing enforcement team on 01922 652246.
News
Edward Chadwick B'ham Mail 1 Jan 10
Penny-pinching pub landlords are short-changing Birmingham drinkers. A survey by trading standards officers found that almost 90 per cent of pints served in the city were shy of the correct measure. In the worst cases, drinkers were being conned out of the equivalent of £1-worth of beer on a round of three drinks…
News
Express & Star 23 Dec 09
Fire-risk hair straighteners, poisonous cigarettes and counterfeit computer games – welcome to the dangerous world of festive fakes. Walsall Council’s assistant trading standards officer Samantha Barnett showed off goods that included an imitation Postman Pat inflatable chair, fake designer brand Evisu jeans and a fake Fred Perry jumper and even vodka…
News
Walsall Advertiser 24 Nov 09
Parents in Walsall have been warned after imported drinks and sweets loaded with added colours found to cause hyperactivity in children were found on sale in the borough. Walsall Trading Standards have discovered a large number of imported children’s drinks and sweets on sale in the borough…
News
Express & Star 11 Nov 09
A trader who sold thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit trainers and tracksuits at Walsall, Willenhall and Bescot markets has avoided an immediate jail sentence. Sheraz Hussain defied warnings from trading standards officers and carried on selling the fake Nike, Adidas and Lacoste goods for more than a year after being cautioned to stop…
News
The YamYam 14 Oct 09
In a joint operation between West Midlands Police and Walsall Trading Standards, more than 400 illegal DVDs and computer games were seized near the newly re-launched Brownhills market on Saturday. A stallholder in his 30`s who was offering hardcore pornography and counterfeit discs has been arrested.
Walsall Council was forced to step in to save the popular market after the previous operator, Spook Erection, could not negotiate a lease deal with the council. Councillor Garry Perry, cabinet member for communities and partnerships said: “Walsall Trading Standards and police are determined to keep counterfeit DVDs, computer games and offensive material from off our streets and Saturday`s action should be a warning to would-be sellers of fake goods that we won`t tolerate this kind of trading.”
Recently, a haul of 1,500 counterfeit DVDs was seized from a house in Walsall.