No surprise here. It was bound to happen sometime - and it could have been worse if you think about it.From the NY Daily News:
During a police raid on counterfeit purse vendors who operated their business out of vans, one vendor locked his would-be buyers in his van for two hours. He didn't make any demands and the "hostages" were released; police believe he was just scared. The vendor was arrested for trademark counterfeit charges AND unlawful imprisonment; 20 other vendors just face the counterfeiting charges. The commanding officer of the trademark unit told the Post and Daily News vendors set up their vans like storefronts, with benches, shelves and lighting, "I don't think the recession is affecting it at all." According to the NYPD, the fake bags included "a number of Louis Vuitton, Coach, Burberry, Dooney and Bourke, and Dolce & Gabbana counterfeit purses with a street value of approx. $125,000 were recovered," and the city says that besides cheating legitimate business owners, many of these operations are connected with money laundering.
When friends visit NYC Canal Street is always at the top of their list of places to go to buy these cheap knock-off bags that will likely last a few weeks before falling apart. Aside from being illegal to sell the counterfeits, it should be illegal to buy the damned things as well. These buyers and sellers side step the NY economy. In short, the buyers ought to be arrested, too. Damn it!
More pics and the full story at the link above.
More later.
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I would think buying such objects is foolish but there is no lack of fools.
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