NYPD CONFISCATES KNOCKOFFS IN CANAL ST. RAID.

Tuesday, December 8^th, 2009— The NYPD raided numerous shops in Chinatown's infamous 'knockoff neighborhood' resulting in the confiscation of over $1 million in counterfeit handbags and goods, according to police.  Over 30 storefronts in 10 buildings along Canal St. stretching from Church St. to Broadway were shutdown.  

 

Among the knockoff items confiscated were wallets, handbags, and accessories from designers like Prada, Chanel, Gucci and Coach among others.

 

Undercover officers from Bloomberg's Office of Special Enforcement had previously scoped out illegal goods from the shops, allowing police to obtain a court order for the raids.

 

Though Mayor Bloomberg sympathized with New Yorkers looking to get a bargain, he maintained that counterfeit handbags were not the way to get them.  “It's not fair to those companies that invest in their brand,” he said.  “And we want them to come here and invest here and we want people who come here to know exactly what they're getting."