Kingston's biggest ever counterfeiting scam has been busted after a Tolworth man was jailed for importing fake Armani and Burberry clothes from India.

In just 14 months, Simon Waugh, 45, sold more than 4,000 goods on eBay, building a criminal business with a turnover of £170,000 a year.

Most of the fakes were flown in, predominantly from Indian company Rohit Fashions, and the profit was phenomenal.

Fake Ralph Lauren polo shirts bought for £4.50 were sold as genuine for £25.99 and eBay's customer satisfaction system failed to detect the scam. In fact 2,686 of the 3,261 customers who posted feedback about Waugh on the site gave him a positive review, despite often getting fakes.

An eBay spokesman said: "eBay welcomes the verdict of this prosecution and is grateful to Kingston Council's trading standards department for this investigation. We strive to maintain a secure marketplace on eBay and strongly believe in working closely with law enforcement to keep our users safe."

Kingston Crown Court heard on Friday that officers found about 600 garments, two computers and paperwork when they raided Waugh's flat in Tolworth Close. A third of the goods found were genuine, but most were counterfeits of such quality experts had to be called in to identify them.

Waugh was caught by Kingston's trading standards department after a two-year investigation, when officers set up a test purchase and were sent counterfeit goods.

Chief officer Ted Forsyth said: "This is our biggest ever counterfeiting case and we hope that it acts as a deterrent to those who believe trading on internet websites offers protection against investigation."

Sentencing Waugh to a year in jail for theft, Judge Campbell said: "I have decided that it would be fair, in sentencing, to say that one-third of those sold were fake. That is to say £55,000 of the goods sold were fake."

Waugh will also face a confiscation hearing on Friday, April 20, under the Proceeds of Crime Act, where he could be ordered to repay some of the money he made.