LONDON, UK – A Zimbabwean husband and wife have been arrested in what police are calling one of the largest counterfeit fashion busts in London this year.
Blessing Nkomo (36) and his wife Rufaro Nkomo (30) were taken into custody after officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit raided a warehouse in Tottenham allegedly used to store thousands of fake Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Balenciaga items.
Authorities say the couple ran a slick online operation, selling the counterfeit goods through social media and encrypted messaging apps, raking in an estimated £1.8 million in less than two years. The knock-off luxury items were reportedly shipped to customers across the UK, Europe, and even back to Zimbabwe.
Investigators claim the Nkomos had built a network of suppliers in Asia and employed a small team of packers to process hundreds of daily orders. During the raid, police seized piles of fake handbags, watches, sneakers, and over £75,000 in cash hidden inside shoeboxes.
Detective Inspector James Holbrook said, “This was a professional operation designed to fool customers and profit from luxury brand reputations. The scale of this network was staggering.”
The couple is scheduled to appear at Old Bailey next week. If convicted, they could face prison time and be ordered to repay their alleged illegal earnings under the UK’s Proceeds of Crime Act.
Online, Zimbabwean Twitter exploded with jokes about the case, with some calling the pair “The Harrods Hustlers” and others cheekily asking if refunds will still be honoured.
