Counterfeit Raids Net $12 Million in Fakes
Federal and local officials raided several locations in Los Angeles and surrounding communities during a week of sweeps that resulted in 30 arrests and uncovered everything from counterfeit iPhones to fake Ed Hardy T-shirts.
At a press conference on Aug. 31, law enforcement officers unveiled some of the 47,000 confiscated items, which have a retail value of $12 million. There were tables filled with fake shoes, sunglasses, watches, jewelry, blue jeans, T-shirts, purses, cigarettes, CDs, DVDs and iPhones. Labels included Burberry, Hermegrave;s, Chanel, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Ray-Ban, Oakley and Kate Spade.
The largest cache of goods was found at a warehouse near Santee Alley in the downtown Los Angeles Fashion District, where, authorities said, they confiscated $9.8 million in knockoff luxury handbags and Rolex watches on Aug. 26.
The massive operation was part of a nationwide sweep called “Operation Fire Sale,” which targeted cities from New York to Los Angeles. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Ferguson said the value of the goods confiscated in the nationwide operation was $16 million to $20 million, with Los Angeles providing the bulk of that. “We do stuff every month, but this was big,” he said.
The operation—which was coordinated between Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Torrance Police Department and the Garden Grove Police Department—kicked off on Aug. 20, when authorities raided the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet to apprehend several sellers of counterfeit music, T-shirts, blue jeans and jewelry, Ferguson said.
The following week, raids were made on warehouses near Santee Alley as well as at a small factory near MacArthur Park where police uncovered a screen-printing facility making counterfeit T-shirts and jackets under labels such as Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch and Ed Hardy. Ferguson said officials confiscated more than 200 different silk screens.
The Torrance Police Department raided the 15-acre Roadium Open Air Market on Aug. 25, where they arrested 10 individuals for selling counterfeit clothing, sunglasses, shoes, CDs and DVDs.
In a related action, the Garden Grove Police Department executed a search warrant at iProducts, where they seized four counterfeit iPhones and dozens of counterfeit phone covers. Authorities said they arrested the company’s owner, David Nguyen, who has been charged with possessing and selling counterfeit goods.—Deborah Belgum
