FAKE perfumes are being made with urine and rat droppings, the authorities have warned.

And while only selling the counterfeit luxury goods is illegal, buying a bottle for your partner this Valentine’s Day will likely see you earn their wrath.

Swindon Trading Standards officer Carla Baker warned: “The counterfeiters can make a lot of money from the perfumes. As with any fake goods, it’s about making as much money as they can very quickly.

“It’s very cheap because they don’t have any of the usual expenses that you would usually have in making the real products.

“There’s no testing. They certainly wouldn’t put any money into hygiene, cleanliness, equipment.

“These things are made very, very cheaply. They put as cheap ingredients as they can in there. The obvious ones are things like urine, sometimes used simply for the colour.

“They won’t have done any dermatological testing. It’s not unusual for people to get skin rashes or burns from counterfeit perfumes.”

Stashed in the trading standards evidence room at the civic offices are a host of top brand designer perfumes. But the only thing the Polo Ralph Lauren, Chanel and Armani goods have in common is that they are all fakes.

From the outside, the boxes are convincing. Open them up, however, and the lettering on the bottles is lopsided and poorly printed. And the perfumes, which were taken from a Swindon street stall by trading standards, do not hold their scent for long.

Counterfeit scents may seem like a bargain, but their sale often goes to fund other criminal activity: “Counterfeiting is often linked to other organised crime because it’s a very quick way of getting cash."

“It’s all about the money. There’s no depth to which these people won’t sink. If it’s something they can make money from, they will counterfeit it.”

Selling counterfeit goods is a criminal offence and can earn those convicted a 10 year prison spell or an unlimited fine.

“It wouldn’t be an offence to purchase the goods,” Ms Baker said. “But your valentine might see it that way.”

Asked what message she had for someone buying a Valentine’s Day present this year, Ms Baker added: “Think carefully about what you’re buying. What often appears to be a bargain is going to be quite the opposite and probably get them into hot water with your valentine.”

Last month, City of London Police raided a counterfeit perfume factory, seizing 500 items worth an estimated £40,000.

Det Ch Insp Teresa Russell of the intellectual property squad said: “Valentine’s Day is a counterfeiter’s dream. With jewellery and perfume being popular gift choices, it’s easy to fall into the trap of a cheap offer.

"Fake makeup and perfume can contain harmful chemicals and even rat droppings that cause swelling, rashes and burns. Purchasing counterfeit goods online often results in your personal details being used to set up new fraudulent websites."