On Saturday I set up my little Muddy Ground t-shirt stall in the rain. Oh dear, not going to sell much today, which was indeed the case. So I got to have a good look around at events unfolding around me. For the main it was all benign. But near the centre were these scummy Nigerian gang members selling their dodgy Louis Vitton handbags, rip off 'phone covers and counterfeit baseball hats. There were four main stalls doing this, manned by one black guy on each. In the centre they'd deployed spotters at each corner of the main square, but there was no need for them as I saw no officialdom all day. The stalls were all connected in some way - I saw the same Mediterranean guy talking to them all, and one Rastafarian guy ambling in and amongst them. It was all clearly a good operation organisational wise.
Clearly on a Saturday they operate as they see fit and it galled me. He were us stallholders, paying rent, taxes, having to have public liability insurance and actually investing in a local business. Yet there they were paying nothing, selling shoddy goods masquerading as genuine, and making a living at it free from interference. Not right is it?
Counterfeit bag seller.
But they are all scumbags aren't they? They don't pay taxes, or a fair wage - many of the operatives get £20 a day plus dole money if they can get an NIN. They don't pay anything to the local council for operating the stalls either. They're just ripping people off. And it's not innocent. It all goes into feeding organised crime in the area and environs. Clearly on a Saturday they operate as they see fit and it galled me. He were us stallholders, paying rent, taxes, having to have public liability insurance and actually investing in a local business. Yet there they were paying nothing, selling shoddy goods masquerading as genuine, and making a living at it free from interference. Not right is it?
Counterfeit and rip-off mobile 'phone covers.
Counterfeit bags again - different seller, County Mall.
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