ILLEGAL immigrants are targeting Southend to flog cheap counterfeit DVDs – and the money is going to fund organised crime and terrorism.

Large numbers of the poor quality DVDs, which feature Hollywood blockbusters and obscene pornographic material, are being touted in and around Southend, according to Trading Standards.

Officers say the sellers are often illegal immigrants and carry bags containing between 300 and 500 DVDs at a time, offering the knock-off films for as little as £3.

But now Southend Council’s Trading Standards and the police are urging people to stop buying the films and report anyone selling them because the money from sales is funding crime.

David Baxter, Trading Standards officer, said: “We see a very nasty side to it.

“It has been traced back, so we know the money funds illegal immigration, illegal pornography, money laundering, drugs, benefit fraud, stolen goods, tax dodging, gun crime and even terrorism.

“A lot of the time these people are illegal immigrants who come from London by train and pick random patches in Southend where there are people to sell to.

“They aren’t scared of the police, or the council, or the courts, because they are more frightened of the people who have arranged for them to come into Britain illegally, who they owe money to.”

Mr Baxter explained how most of the sellers avoid the High Street because of CCTV, but will go along the seafront, into bars, industrial areas and building sites.

Mr Baxter said: “People do buy them, watch them and it’s probably the biggest deterrent from ever doing it again because of the poor quality.

“We are working with police to arrest one person every two weeks in Southend, but that is probably the tip of the iceberg.

“We rely on intelligence and we need people to report anyone selling these DVDs.”

To report someone you have seen selling counterfeit products, call police on 999, trading standards through Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or the 24-hour emergency council number on 01702 215000.