Steve LaFederal and local law enforcers arrested 30 suspects throughout the Southland in connection with millions of dollars worth of fake jewelry, leather goods, sunglasses, clothing, iPhones and other items that were confiscated, authorities announced at a press conference Tuesday.
Police seized products with name brands that included Burberry, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas and Ray-Ban.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S.Homeland Security, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies, Los Angeles police, Torrance and Garden Grove police and the Riverside County District Attorney's Office participated.
The crackdown was part of a nationwide effort dubbed “Operation Fire Sale” that targeted intellectual property crime. Other cities in the crackdown included Las Vegas, New York, Miami, Philadelphia.
Credit: Counterfeit Items Seized By Police
In Southern California more than 47,000 items, with an estimated value of $12 million, were seized. The bulk of that was found at a warehouse in the downtown Fashion District's Santee Alley area last week, where seized merchandise had a value of more than $9.8 million.
“Our ultimate goal is to target the manufacturers producing the goods,” Claude Arnold of Homeland Security told the Weekly. “I think the operation makes a statement and serves as a deterrent.”
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