Last Thursday, the New York Police Department arrested 21 people for selling counterfeit goods in Chinatown. The counterfeit purses were crammed into 6 vans that were being used as temporary storefronts. The knockoffs cost around $25-$50 each, thousands of dollars less than their originals. This is not a rare event since everyone knows that Chinatown is the place to go if you want to get a fake LV, Burberry, Guchi, etc.
Last year Mayor Bloomberg raided counterfeit shops shutting down more than 30 stores on Canal St. between Centre and Baxter, many of these stores remain shut today. This sent a great blow to the businesses around Chinatown especially since it is still staggering from 911. Yet this did not end the counterfeiting business, much of it has just been pushed further underground. Instead of actual storefronts, there are people waiting outside of subway stations or hiding in vans. The sales people walk around whispering frantically “Bag, bags, Guchi? Rolex?” If you are interested they’ll take you to their secret hiding places. It can be anything from utility closets within the subway station, or secret walls in the back of a store that pushes open to reveal another room. If the bag that you want doesn’t sport the correct logo, no problem, the storeowner will happily swap it to any logo you choose.
Counterfeiting has always been a thorn to Chinatown; despite Bloomberg’s efforts it still very much exists especially in an economy like ours today it is almost understandable why people will resort to buying fake goods. Companies have less money to hire counterfeiting consultants to help stop the production of them and the government has more important issues to worry about. The people have no money to spend and are especially in need of comforts that buying things can bring.
so interesting!
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