A London man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison after authorities uncovered a large-scale counterfeit vinyl operation worth an estimated £2.7 million.
Investigators said 40-year-old Rehan Ahmed ran the business from West London, producing and selling unauthorized records featuring music from more than 100 artists. Police described the case as the largest seizure of counterfeit vinyl records in UK history.
The operation included an underground manufacturing site equipped with four vinyl presses and thousands of metal stampers used to reproduce records. Officers also found thousands of record sleeves, labels and more than 2,500 finished counterfeit records ready for sale.
The investigation began after suspected fake vinyl releases were identified and referred to specialist police. Authorities said the operation had been active for several years and supplied counterfeit records both online and to retail outlets.
The case highlights the continuing demand for vinyl records and the risks posed by counterfeit products in the growing collectors market.