The owners of a Tooting convenience store have been fined for selling their customers counterfeit condoms.

The owners of London Wine Merchants in Mitcham Lane, trading as Latif and Sons Ltd, were offering 38 packets of fake Durex condoms for sale.

The condoms, which were of inferior quality than those manufactured by Durex, were discovered at the shop during a joint trading standards and Met police investigation into under-age sales of alcohol.

Latif and Sons Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching consumer protection laws when they appeared at South western magistrates court earlier this month. The company, which was represented in court by the store’s owner Mohammed Latif, was fined £500 and ordered to pay £400 towards the council’s prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £15.

The council’s trading standard’s spokesman Cllr Sarah McDermott said:
“Selling inferior quality items like this could have had serious health and welfare implications for this shop’s customers. It is welcome news that these have now been removed from sale. We are seeing the criminals who produce these counterfeit items move into new markets that are way beyond what people would normally associate with pirate goods.

“Where previously they would only produce fake DVDs, perfumes or designer fashion labels, they are now branching out and producing a whole range of counterfeit goods, like wines, champagnes, cigarettes and now condoms.

“We would advise consumers to be on the lookout for these phonies and if in doubt check the packaging carefully before paying. Many of these items are produced overseas and often the labels will contain spelling mistakes - or simply look a bit odd.

“Shopkeepers and traders should also beware of purchasing their stock from unusual sources or risk falling foul of the law. They should stick to reputable suppliers who are not going to sell them fakes."

Consumers who do come across items that they suspect are bogus can contact trading standards on on (020) 8871 7720 or email tradingstandards@wandsworth.gov.uk.

April 20, 2011