A COMPANY suspected of distributing “Bernhardos” charity sacks around Bournemouth last autumn has been raided.

Numerous suspected fraudulent charity bags were discovered and several computers seized during the operation earlier this week in Horfield, Bristol.

The raid at Sparco Ltd on Tuesday, led by the South West Scambusters Trading Standards team, follows a regional investigation involving police and trading standards officers.

In a statement, Bristol City Council said the company was “alleged to be responsible for the delivery of charity ‘trawl bags’ to homes across the West Country.”

More than 100 complaints were received after residents claimed they had confused it with the Barnardo’s charity.

After the white bags were delivered to homes in Boscombe and Pokesdown last September, Bournemouth trading standards officers warned people against filling them.

The company is also suspected of using charity bags bearing the words ‘Breast Cancer’ and the pink ribbon associated with the Breakthrough Cancer charity.

Last September Sparco Ltd’s manager Darius Kaminskas told the Daily Echo that Bernhardos was not a bogus charity after readers contacted us to say the company was distributing leaflets asking for donations for breast cancer sufferers in Lithuania.

Linda Cram from Alderney, Poole, and Simone McDevitt from Albion Road, Christchurch were among those who had leaflets delivered to their homes.

Alan Evans, Scambusters’ South West regional enforcement manager, said: “We have received numerous complaints about the distribution of bags and leaflets which we suspect are fraudulent claims that proceeds are for charities.”

• A 23-year-old man was arrested at a Bristol address yesterday in connection with the investigation, but was expected to be bailed without charge last night.