Sales of fake baby lotion lands company director in hot water (From Thurrock Gazette)

Sales of fake baby lotion lands company director in hot water

12:00pm Saturday 9th June 2012 in News

A GRAYS business has been fined for selling fake Johnson’s baby lotion.

Akhtar Shabarz, the director of Pound City Ltd stores in Grays and London, admitted selling the counterfeit product in his shops in court on Thursday, June 7.

Magistrates in Basildon heard the makers of the real lotion, Johnson & Johnson, had contacted Thurrock Council’s trading standards team after receiving a complaint.

The team went to the Pound City in Grays High Street in December 2010, and seized 59 bottles of the fake lotion.

On the same day, officers from Newham Trading Standards seized nine bottles from Pound City in East Ham.

Tests carried out by Johnson &Johnson showed the lotion was counterfeit, and contained certain preservatives which the company does not use.

Shabarz, from South London, admitted he bought the lotion from someone who came into his store because it was cheap, he made no attempt to check it was genuine.

He and the firms were charged with selling, offering or exposing for sale goods which bear a sign identical to a registered trademark without the consent of the proprietor of the trademark.

The stores were further charged with offering or exposing for supply goods prohibited under safety regulations because the product did not display the details of the manufacturer or person responsible for marketing the product.

Shabarz and both firms were each fined £1,150 and ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge.

The director was also ordered to pay £3,585 in costs to Thurrock Council and £750 costs to Newham Council.

Kevin Donovan, vice president of global security at Johnson & Johnson, said: “We are grateful for the diligent efforts of law enforcement and government agencies in supporting the fight against counterfeiting.

“We must do everything we can to ensure the integrity of our global supply chains to protect the consumers and patients who use our products all over the world.”