Staff in trading standards jobs in Peterborough have seen their investigation into a conman who sold fake oil drilling equipment end successfully.
Counterfeit equipment worth around £600,000 was seized by trading standards officers from Adrian Belson of Oundle Road, Peterborough.
Belson had been sourcing oil drilling parts from China, repackaging them and selling them on at highly-inflated prices to companies based in the Arab States.
He has now been given a two-and-a-half year jail sentence while his company Gripp Belgique has been fined £20,000.
Councillor Peter Hiller, cabinet member for housing, neighbourhoods and planning in Peterborough, said: "I hope this sends out a clear warning message to anyone else involved in counterfeit activities that it will not be tolerated in Peterborough and we will take action."
Earlier this month, officials in trading standards jobs in Birmingham saw their case against used car dealer Peter Robinson end with the man being fined more than £3,000 for falsely advertising vehicles' mileage and accident history.
Posted by Lucy Hallows
