Europol has cracked down on counterfeit crime by seizing 292 web sites across Europe which were being used to sell fake labelled merchandise.
The wide range of goods included ‘luxury’ items as well as "sportswear, electronics, pharmaceuticals and pirated goods like movies and music".
Although it is understood that no immediate arrests were made, it is probable that Europol will use the site closures as a way to track down the counterfeiters who are actually manufacturing the items.
Europol’s action came before the sites built up too many orders for Christmas.
"Counterfeiters take advantage of the holiday season and sell cheap fakes to unsuspecting consumers everywhere," said Bruce Foucart, acting director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, which assisted in the action.
Anyone now trying one of the websites will see a page of information about copyright crime.
Europol said the total number of domains seized is now 1,829 since the In Our Sites initiative started in November 2012.
Rob Wainwright, director of Europol, called this a growing problem.
"Europol is committed to working with its international partners to crack down on the criminal networks responsible for this illegal activity," he said.
