Earphones, USB plus and games console controllers were among the items seized.

Gardaí have seized over 15,000 counterfeit electrical products believed to have destined for sale in Ireland over the Christmas period. In the course of Operation Bannister, two premises were searched, including the place of residence of a suspect located in Dublin 3 and a business premises located in a Business Park, situated at Oak Close, Dublin 12. The searches were carried out by the Intellectual Property (IP) Crime Unit within the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) who took charge of the operation involving personnel from within GNBCI and other Bureaus within Organised & Serious Crime. A significant quantity of counterfeit products, including earphones, USB Plugs, phone chargers and games console controllers, along with a vast amount of branded packaging, were seized. In the region of 15,000 items, believed to be counterfeit products, were seized in the course of Operation Bannister, along with about 10,000 items with branded packaging. The seizure is the largest quantity of counterfeit property purporting to be a particular brand seized worldwide this year. Gardaí said the value of the products has not yet been determined but could be in the region of €300,000. No arrests have been made but are expected following a comprehensive assessment of the property seized.