More than $200m in counterfeit goods seized at store in St. Ann

 

Members of the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (CTOC) on Wednesday seized more than $200 million worth of counterfeit goods in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.

 

Deputy Superintendent Victor Barrett, head of CTOC's Intellectual Property Unit, told Radio Jamaica News that CTOC detectives carried out the raid Wednesday afternoon at a plaza in St. Ann as part of CTOC's crackdown on counterfeit goods flooding the island.

 

"At this establishment we discovered a large quantity of counterfeit Crocs, Nike, Puma, Gucci, Supreme and other hosts of brands.... There is a huge, I mean huge warehouse behind me that is filled with counterfeit goods in all shape and manner," said the senior cop, who estimated the value of the goods to be about J$250 million.

 

He said a Chinese national was arrested in connection with the seizure and will be charged for breaches of the Trade Mark Act.

 

DSP Barrett said CTOC will continue its operations in a bid to put a dent in the counterfeit trade.

 

"I often stress and maintain that buying counterfeit goods is a bad thing. It is bad in many ways. It doesn't help the country in our reputation, so it gives our country, Jamaica, a bad image, where persons might see Jamaica as a dumping ground for counterfeit goods. Secondly, the goods may be of inferior quality and they may be harmful to your health. And lastly but not least, funds may flow into organised crime and these criminals use the funds that create mayhem in our country," he warned.