$1.5M in Fake Goods Seized in North Point Flea Market Raid
Charges are pending against 19 individuals, according to Baltimore County Police Department officials.
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Baltimore County Police Department officials estimate that about $1.5 million worth of counterfeit goods was seized when multiple search warrants were served at the Plaza Flea Market Dundalk in February.
During the Feb. 16 raid that targeted specific vendors, detectives seized more than 4,000 pairs of counterfeit shoes and more than 3,500 fake phone accessories, according to a statement from the police department.
Shirts, jackets, movies, compact discs, sunglasses, jewelry, clothing and purses were also seized.
Charges are pending against 19 individuals, according to the statement.
The trickle-down effects of the marketing of counterfeit goods are numerous, police officials said.
Consumer safety can be compromised because the goods aren't subjected to the same safety standards as legitimate merchandise—they may contain toxic ingredients or may be poorly manufactured, officials said.
The owners of the legitimate brand trademark lose money, and local retailers may lose business because consumers buy the cheaper fake goods instead of the more expensive, legitimate products.
Local governments also lose because the proper sales and other taxes are not being paid on the transactions.
The raid targeted businesses suspected of selling fake goods under a variety of well-known brand names, including Nike, Apple, North face, Polo, Ugg and Timberland, according to police officials.
The Plaza Flea Market is in the 2400 block of Old North Point Road in Dundalk.
Dundalk Girl
2:48 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Does anyone know what happens to the stuff they seize? Is it trashed, burned or donated?
steph
3:01 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Cops pick through it after court then its trashed
Dundalk Girl
3:10 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
So it's illegal but the cops can keep it. WOW! I was thinking there are a lot of kids in Dundalk that could use some new shoes.
Tom
4:59 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Auction police auction that's where it all goes
DEE
5:26 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Consumer safety can be compromised because the goods aren't subjected to the same safety standards as legitimate merchandise—they may contain toxic ingredients or may be poorly manufactured, officials said. Who are they kidding we eat food every day filled with chemicals hormones and things with words we can not even pronounce. Food recalls every week arsenic in apple juice, coli in our salads, recalls on peanut butter and the list goes on and on but these foods make it to our grocery store shelves. Were are the watch dogs that should not let these things out of the factory. We only find out after people die or get sick. Some company of one of these products found out about shipments of these fake goods and this report even says money loss by Nike, Apple etc. Some CEO was loosing money and the investigation started they been tracking these shipments for months didn't happen over night. So we can feed our kids chemicals in foods but families cant afford $150 for Nike shoes. And we cant buy a knock off shoe for $25. What about all the knock offs in the stores shampoo says compare to Nexus or perfume says compare to Britney Spears. Give me a break its all about money. Stop wasting our tax dollars and go catch the murders, sex offenders, and the crooks in our government offices.
DARRELL HAMMERBACKER
10:21 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Dee, That be too Dangerous,it's either busts like this or sitting on Wise and north Point roads getting their speed tkt quotas for the month,I'd be satified if they would just get the drugs out of the Neighborhoods