The IPKat has learnt from Leeds Today that counterfeit clothing had been donated by West Yorkshire Trading Standards to West Yorkshire Police Force to help the police to train their sniffer dogs. Normally the dogs are trained by uniformed handlers, but most criminals tend not to wear uniforms, and so the counterfeit clothing and handbags will be used to make the dogs’ training more realistic. West Yorkshire’s Chief Training Standards Officer said:
"It is pleasing to see that the illegal clothing seized in these operations is being put to a good use…Previously some clothing had been recycled through charities in this country and abroad but this is a new angle, which we are very pleased to develop for the future.".The IPKat is in two minds about this policy. On the one hand he doesn’t like to see things wasted, but on the other hand there seems to be a nice little market growing in recycled counterfeit goods. If it’s wrong for counterfeiters and middle-men to deal in counterfeit goods then surely it isn’t right for others to deal in them either? Merpel says using counterfeits isn’t very realistic – every self-respecting criminal is bound to be wearing the real thing.