680 pairs of fakes! Hundreds of Nike, Gucci and Reebok knock-offs seized in crackdown

Hundreds of counterfeit Nike, Gucci, Reebok were seized in police crackdown in downtown Kingston last Friday.

Lawmen say the suspected counterfeit designer footwear and clothing included 326 pairs of fake Nike Air Force shoes, 170 pairs of fake Gucci slippers, and 132 pairs of fake Reebok shoes.

The staggering haul, valued at approximately $4 million, was uncovered during a joint operation involving the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Specialised Investigation Branch and the Financial Investigations Division.

Two people have since been charged with possession of criminal property, unauthorised use of a trade mark and misleading the public.

The operation unfolded between 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., when investigators executed search warrants at an establishment on Orange Street in downtown Kingston and a residence in Red Hills, St Andrew.

At the Orange Street premises, both suspects were reportedly present when officers uncovered what appeared to be a veritable warehouse of counterfeit fashion.

Shelves were packed with footwear and clothing bearing the names and logos of major international brands, while additional items were stored in boxes.

But the fake-brand haul was only part of the operation.

Police also seized more than $75 million in cash from the Orange Street location, the suspects’ Red Hills premises, and a bus owned by one of them.

The two suspects were subsequently granted bail of $1.5 million each and are scheduled to appear in the Corporate Area Criminal Court on September 10.