Prosecutors have slapped operators of eight San Francisco shops with a 25-count indictment, charging them will selling suspected fake designer apparel and accessories -- worth some 100 million dollars -- made in China:
Authorities revealed the details of the case in an indictment unsealed Monday. The indictment was filed in federal court July 22.That's a crackdown, evildoers! Know that you cannot sell fake-ass goods up in these United States of America! I guess I will have to look somewhere other than Chinatown for my Prado and Arnami goods.
It charged the defendants, mostly residents of San Francisco, with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, and trafficking in counterfeit goods.
"The investigation has led to the seizure of nearly 100 million dollars worth of counterfeit merchandise [based on the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) had the products been legitimate]," a statement said.
Among the items seized were "clothing, handbags, wallets, jewelry, watches, scarves, sunglasses and shoes that were illegally imported from China," it said.
The suspected counterfeit items purported to be luxury brands such as Dooney and Bourke, Nike, Coach and Kate Spade, Armani, Burberry, Prada and Louis Vuitton.