Customs officers have seized close to €300,000 worth of counterfeit Nike runners in Cork.

The find of over 2,000 pairs of shoes was discovered in a container and was believed to have originated in China and be headed for the Irish Christmas market. The total value is estimated at over €292,000.

In a statement to announce the find, Revenue said: “the purchase of counterfeit goods is damaging to legitimate businesses and, because of the lack of regulation of the way in which they are produced, can pose serious health and safety risks to consumers.”