22 people have been arrested in connection to a $450 million counterfeit ring in what authorities are calling one of the largest counterfeit goods takedown in New York City's history.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the NYPD shut down the alleged luxury counterfeit goods operation Thursday morning. The counterfeit luxury goods brought in by these smugglers include fake brands such as Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Hermes, and Chanel.
Brian Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General said: “The defendants allegedly smuggled millions of dollars of counterfeit luxury goods into our country, depriving companies of their valuable and hard-earned intellectual property.”
He added: “The illegal smuggling of counterfeit goods poses a real threat to honest businesses, and I commend our federal prosecutors and partners at HSI and the NYPD for their outstanding work on this important investigation. The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable those who seek to exploit our borders by smuggling counterfeit goods for sale on the black market."
All 22 suspects arrested are looking at charges that range between conspiracy to traffic and trafficking in counterfeit goods, conspiracy to smuggle and smuggling counterfeit goods, money laundering conspiracy, immigration fraud and unlawful procurement of naturalization.
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