SINGAPORE - A 21-year-old man was arrested last Thursday (Oct 11) for allegedly importing and possessing counterfeit bags, wallets and watches worth over half a million to sell.

The police and Singapore Customs said in a joint statement on Monday that more than 4,800 pieces of counterfeit goods were seized in relation to the case.

The total street value for the seized goods amounted to more than $520,000.

Customs officers had on Oct 4 and 5 found bags suspected to be fakes after inspecting two consignments at a warehouse located in Woodlands Industrial Park.

The items were confiscated after the rights holders confirmed that the items were fakes, said the authorities.

Officers from Singapore Customs and the Criminal Investigation Department then conducted a joint operation last Thursday, in which more than 800 pieces of counterfeit bags were seized from a logistics company located in Woodlands Industrial Park.

Authorities arrested the 21-year-old man in a follow-up operation along Compassvale Street later in the day. More than 4,000 pieces of counterfeit bags, wallets and watches were seized from the man's residence.

Preliminary investigations found that the man was selling counterfeit bags on various online platforms.

The authorities said that they take a serious view on intellectual property rights infringements and will not hesitate to take action against perpetrators who show blatant disregard for Singapore's intellectual property rights laws.

Anyone convicted of importing, possessing or distributing goods with falsely applied trademark for the purpose of trade can be fined up to $100,000 and jailed up to five years.