Canal Street bust: NYPD seize more than $10m in counterfeit luxury goods

The New York City Police Department has arrested 17 people after seizing 'more than three truck loads' of counterfeit luxury goods including 'Chanel and Gucci purses' worth $10 million.

The bust on Canal Street, Manhattan's mecca for fakes goods, will see the vendors facing a charge of trademark counterfeiting property over $1,000, a felony in the state, Chief of Patrol Jeff Maddrey said in video posted to their Facebook.

'The area of enforcement we went to today resembled a local street market,' the chief said at a press conference a few hours after the bust.

'Sidewalks are blocked, there's property everywhere, merchandise everywhere. This really impacts local businesses in a negative manner, as well as reduces the quality of life.

'We seized over three truckloads of high-end counterfeit merchandise.'

Maddrey said that the department is stepping up its outreach throughout New York City on how to legally obtain vendor's licenses as the holiday season approaches.

The New York City Police Department has arrested 17 people after seizing 'more than three truck loads' of counterfeit luxury goods including 'Chanel and Gucci purses' worth $10 million

Cops hauled away phony Prada bags, Balenciaga purses, and Gucci wallets

The bust on Canal Street, Manhattan's mecca for fake goods, will see the vendors facing a charge of trademark counterfeiting property over $1,000, a felony in the state

Canal street was described to look like a local market with mountains of counterfeit merchandise for purchase

Bags of counterfeit products were taken by cops who have been cracking down on the area as the holiday season ramps up

Cops are seen inspecting the goods before taking them away from vendors

A stern reminder to vendors that peddling counterfeit trade merchandise is still illegal.

'We recognize during the holidays, activities such as this will increase, and our efforts to deter this conduct, to investigate this conduct, will be ongoing,' Maddrey said.

Bill Friberg, a 'counterfeit recognition specialist' and retired NYPD sergeant who Seventh Precinct cops brought on the raid, told The New York Post that most of the goods seized were from China or India.

'This stuff here is poor-quality fakes,' said Friberg.

'Ninety-nine percent of it I can just look at it and tell you that it's counterfeit,' he said.

Picking up a fake Louis Vuitton bag Maddrey quipped: 'I mean, listen. This look this looks good to me, but that's why you have a specialist who comes and works with the company to tell us what's good and what's not.'

Earlier this month, Tribeca Citizen reported that no change had been seen after an NYPD August bust which saw five people arrested and nearly $2 million worth of merchandise seized.

Canal street was allegedly back up and running at full force by September, causing the sidewalks to become 'impassable,' the outlet reported.

At the time the NYPD said that the raid was a result of community driven complaints and were part of a quality of life initiative with the bureau.

Deputy Chief Benjamin Gurley told reporters at the time said that the seemingly harmless trade was a front for a much darker underbelly of the city.

Sidewalks in some instances were completely blocked with the overflowing merchandise

Phony scarves resembling high fashion brands were part of the overwhelming haul seized by cops

Wallets and purses were also among the mountains of merch 

Bill Friberg, a 'counterfeit recognition specialist' said that 99 percent of the counterfeit goods were easily detectable as 'fake' calling it 'poor-quality'

Police have recognized that during the holidays this activity often sees an uptick and have promised to do what they can to deter this conduct

This bust comes just months after the NYPD arrested five people with $2 million worth of merchandise seized in August

A petition launched earlier this year from businesses and locals has seen 737 of 1,000 signatures to ramp up police presence and crackdown on illegal activity

'We know the money raised by the sale of these counterfeit goods is used to fund criminal enterprises throughout New York City,' he said.

One resident, listed as Raphael A., has since started a petition to 'Clean Up Canal' hoping to reduce the incidents of drug sales and illegal panhandling.

The petition description hoped to 'add additional law enforcement on Canal Street.'

'I implore any and all relevant law enforcement bodies and commands to assist their efforts in the name of safety and quality of life for its residents, workers, and visitors,' it continued.

'All passers-by deserve to walk, live, and do business without harassment or aggressive solicitation, especially by those vending illegal counterfeit goods and unlicensed/controlled drugs etc.'

The petition has seen 737 of 1,000 signatures they hope to receive to make changes on the notorious institution.

One person who signed the petition wrote: 'It's an incredible s**t show in one of the most taxable areas of the city, of the state, of the country! City officials need to be fired.'

Another person said: 'This area, like any NY street deserves to be an area where people can live more safely and in clean surroundings.'

The Department of Justice states it is not a crime to purchase counterfeit goods, even if the consumer knew the goods were infringing on a trademark.