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MIAMI---A federal grand jury has returned two separate indictments against five defendants for allegedly conspiring to traffic in goods violating trademarks including electrical cords, batteries, handbags, wallets, suitcases, shoes, hats, sunglasses, watches and different items of clothing and accessories bearing the counterfeit trademarks of Underwriters Laboratories, Duracell, Lous Vuitton, Rolex, Prada, Gucci, Coach, Disney, Nike, Major League Baseball, Oakley and others.
The defendants, Lizhou Shao, Changbiao Fu, Li Fen Fu, Ji Wu Chen, and Meihua Li were indicted on three separate charges of conspiring to traffic in counterfeit goods, trafficking in counterfeit goods and concealing and selling imported counterfeit goods.
The maximum statutory sentences for each count in the indictments are five years in prison and a $2 million fine for conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods; 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine for trafficking in counterfeit goods and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for illegally concealing and selling counterfeit goods.
The indictments also allege that the defendants imported counterfeit goods from China to their homes and warehouses. The defendants then allegedly sold these counterfeit products directly from these warehouses as well as from booths at the Opa-Locka Flea Market. The management of the Opa-Locka Flea Market has cooperated during this investigation, officials said.
On Dec. 13, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents and officers from the Miami-Dade Police Department, pursuant to arrest and search warrants, arrested the defendants and conducted searches of their homes, warehouses, and flea market booths. The quantity of counterfeit items seized filled several tractor trailers with not only counterfeit clothing and clothing accessories but also untested and hazardous electrical cords and batteries. In addition, illegal toy Glock pistols were seized from defendants Ji Wu Chen and Meihua Li. 12-30-05
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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