The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency will be at Edinburgh Airport on Friday to urge travellers to avoid buying fakes while abroad.

Officers will be at the airport to warn people about the links between organised crime and counterfeit goods as they jet off for the October break. 

Around 33,000 people are expected to pass through the airport on one of its busiest days of the year.

It is hoped the campaign will deter travellers from buying fake designer clothes, handbags, trainers, CDs and DVDs.

The agency said organised crime groups use the trade in fake goods as an opportunity to generate profit and to fund other forms of serious organised crime, including human trafficking, firearms and illegal drugs.

With sophisticated production methods, it can be difficult for consumers to tell the difference between fake and genuine items. 

Research has shown that while people are most likely to buy fake goods at markets at home, buying fakes abroad is the second most popular method of acquiring counterfeit goods

But the warning to tourists is that despite seeming to be a victimless crime, the sale of fake goods is linked to a bigger and more serious picture and people need to be aware of this.