Counterfeit goods with an estimated value of more than €2 million were seized by detectives and Customs officers today in Dublin.
Properties in Tallaght, Crumlin, and the north and south inner city were raided in an operation co-ordinated by the Criminal Assets Bureau assisted by Customs and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
The haul was so large detectives had to hire a warehouse to store the truck-loads of forged goods confiscated in 23 separate raids.
Detective Chief Superintendent John O'Mahoney, heading up the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), said this was one of the most significant seizures ever.
"Searches are still ongoing and at the moment we can say that we are in excess of two million [euro] but I expect that that figure will rise considerably," he said.
"The next phase of the operation will be identifying the products, identifying the assets of the people involved in the criminality and looking at arrests down the road, and subsequently looking at charges."
There were no arrests, but files are being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
CAB officers believe some of the goods were imported from abroad before being sold in shops, markets and on the streets around south Dublin.
They did not rule out legitimate businesses being caught up in the counterfeit operation despite most of the goods being sold by rogue traders.
Detective Chief Superintendent O'Mahoney advised concerned shoppers to stick with the reputable retail outlets.