Heathrow Airport fake goods haul 'more than doubles'

The value of fake goods seized at Heathrow Airport has more than doubled in the last year, figures show.

In the last three months almost £4m worth of counterfeit items were brought into the west London airport.

UK Border Agency (UKBA) figures showed the value of fake goods seized for the last financial year was £7.25m.

The latest haul included fake iPhones, counterfeit designer jewellery worth more than £500,000 and more than £1m worth of unlicensed Viagra tablets.

We've seen cases of hair straighteners and other electrical goods literally blowing up in people's hands”

Brodie Clarke, head of the UKBA, added: "Smugglers are only out to make a profit.

"The goods are often dangerous and the proceeds can be used to fuel serious organised crime."

Last year the value of goods seized in June, July and August was £1.7m.

The UKBA said this year's haul included 1,300 fake iPhones, 2,500 pieces of counterfeit designer jewellery and 180,000 fake Viagra tablets that contained "potentially harmful chemicals unlikely to have the desired effect".

Assistant director Grant Miller, from the UKBA at Heathrow, said the trade in counterfeit goods must be stopped "to protect the public purse and protect consumers from potentially dangerous goods".

"We've seen cases of hair straighteners and other electrical goods literally blowing up in people's hands," he said.