Enfield Council’s Trading Standards has successfully prosecuted the owner of a jewellers, who was selling fake designer name gold jewellery.
Defendants Orhan Onur of Raglan Road, Enfield and Emirhan Gold Limited, were ordered to pay a total of £36,262, that included £21,987 of realisable assets, after a hearing at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on 13 May 2022.
Emirhan Gold Limited pleaded guilty for five counts relating to contraventions contrary to section 92(1)(b) of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
A confiscation order was also made under section 6 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 which means the defendants will have to pay the order by 12 August 2022.
The jewellery worth between £16,000 and £34,000 (gold value – street value) was seized in November 2018 and will be smelted, removing the false trademarks. The gold will then be sold to contribute to the order paid by the guilty parties.
On 14 November 2018, Enfield Council’s Trading Standards officers visited Onur Jewellers at Unit 26 in Edmonton Green Shopping Centre.
Gold jewellery for sale on the premises was seized on suspicion of breaching trademarks.
The 118 items of jewellery included rings, bracelets, pendants and earrings in the brands of BMW, Mercedes, Chanel, Bvlgari and Versace.
On 24 April 2020, informations were laid at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court for Emirhan Gold Limited, owners of Onur Jewellers, for five counts relating to contraventions contrary to section 92(1)(b) of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
The defendants (the director, Orhan Onur, and company) were convicted in relation to those matters, that is, the seized jewellery did breach trademarks, on 25 February 2021.
An Enfield Council spokesperson said: “We were very pleased that the Council’s Trading Standards team took swift action against a jeweller who showed a blatant disregard for its consumers and broke the law.
“We cannot and will not tolerate such illegal activity on our high streets and in our shopping centres in Enfield.
“We hope this prosecution will send out a clear message to any other rogue traders selling counterfeit goods in the borough. We will find you and we will prosecute you.”
Enfield Council’s Trading Standards service is responsible for protecting consumers and businesses in the borough by ensuring a safe and fair trading environment.
Notes to editors
A breakdown of the jewellery seized:
- 31 x Versace rings, 8 x BMW rings, 4 x Mercedes rings and 27 x Bvlgari rings
- 1 x Bvlgari earrings, 11 x Versace earrings and 1 x Chanel earrings
- 13 x Versace bracelets and 1 x Versace bangle
- 20 x Versace pendants (four with a chain) and 1 x Chanel pendant
- Total: 118 items
The jewellery was generally of genuine 14 carat gold fineness but bore false trademarks.