Watch Out! Shop Owner Gets Time Behind Bars for Fake Luxury Watches

In a time-ticking twist, a shop owner has been handed a prison sentence for dealing in counterfeit luxury watches, with a flashy total value of £700,000. Tower Hamlets Council’s eagle-eyed Trading Standards officers uncovered 132 imitation watches, complete with straps, boxes, and bags, during their investigation at 5 Star Trading Ltd on Goulston Street back in 2017.

Caught in the act, the shop owner, Baldeep Singh Arora, attempted a daring escape with a box of watches but was promptly halted in his tracks. Fast forward to January 25, 2024, and Arora found himself facing the consequences as he was sentenced to a 20-month imprisonment, suspended for two years, for a trademark infringement under the Trade Marks Act 1994. This offence specifically related to a dazzling array of six Omega watches, three Hublot watches, nine Cartier watches, and a whopping 103 Rolex watches.

However, a second charge concerning an additional 141 watches was left in suspense, awaiting its fate. Adding suspense to the story, a proceeds of crime investigation is now underway to determine whether Arora will have to part ways with any ill-gotten gains from his illicit watch trade.

This isn’t Arora’s first run-in with the law, as Tower Hamlets Trading Standards Service had previously prosecuted him for similar offences in 2003 and 2008. Lutfur Rahman, the Executive Mayor, emphasized the impact of such crimes, stating, “Selling counterfeit goods is not a victimless crime. It takes money away from legitimate businesses, and the faked items are usually lower quality and can be unsafe.” The borough vows to keep a watchful eye on businesses and continue taking action against those dealing in counterfeit goods.