Counterfeit Crime Doesn’t Pay: Seller Jailed After Investigation

On the 7th of May 2026 at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court Gemma Chinnery, aged 35, of Cefn Coed, Merthyr Tydfil – having previously pleaded guilty to 21 offences under the Trademarks Act – received a three-year immediate custodial sentence for each offence, to run concurrently.

The case followed an investigation by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Trading Standards, who identified a Facebook page ‘Gemma G’s Fashion Factory advertising for sale counterfeit goods. Enquiries established that Chinnery, was operating the page and supplying clothing, footwear and electrical items falsely branded as well-known labels including Apple, Nike, Tiffany & Co., Chanel and Louis Vuitton.

Officers also uncovered a related Telegram group, G’s Fashion, which had been active since 21 July 2022. The page contained over 37,000 photographs and 650 videos, indicating a significant level of trading activity.

Trading Standards Officers executed a warrant at Chinnery’s home address where a total of 213 counterfeit items was seized, representing 28 designer brands including Apple, Adidas, Nike, Balenciaga, UGG, and Calvin Klein.

Financial investigations revealed that between 1 January 2022 and 30 September 2023, Chinnery received £116,045 through her bank accounts linked to the sale of counterfeit goods. The estimated equivalent retail value of the genuine items was calculated at over £1.9 million.

Sarah King, Director of Governance and Resources at Merthyr Tydfil CBC, said: “We want to remind consumers that counterfeit goods are not subject to proper safety checks and may be unsafe. We will continue to act against those selling illegal products and work to protect our communities. This sentence should act as a warning to those involved in these types of illegal activity.”

Cllr David Jones, Cabinet Member for Trading Standards, said: “This case highlights the work undertaken by the Authority in protecting legitimate businesses. Counterfeit goods have a damaging impact on our local economy and unfairly disadvantage businesses that do things the right way. The work of our Trading Standards team plays a vital role in protecting residents and keeping things fair, and we would encourage anyone who comes across suspected counterfeit goods to report it.”

You can report the sale of counterfeit goods by contacting Trading Standards by emailing tstandards@merthyr.gov.uk, by telephone 01685 72500 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers Online at https://crimestoppers-uk.org or calling 0800 555 111.