
About 3,000 counterfeits found during searches at stores
SOUTH BEND — St. Joseph County Police confiscated close to 3,000 pairs of suspected counterfeit Nike shoes at two South Bend stores this afternoon.
Detectives working with a private investigator hired by Nike learned about the operation last fall, police said.
Search warrants were obtained after undercover detectives made purchases at a number of locations around South Bend.
At Howard’s Mart, 416 Howard St., police arrested the owner of the store. He was charged with possession of stolen and counterfeit property.
Police said 1,900 pairs of shoes were seized from the store.
After the second raid at Shoes and More, 2903 W. Western Ave., the business owner was being questioned by police. About 800 pairs of shoes were seized from that store, investigators said.
The private investigator is from Edward R. Kirby and Associates out of Chicago, police said. Nike hired the firm in October 2007 after approaching stores suspected of selling fake shoes and telling them to stop doing so.
A search warrant was issued Tuesday based on the purchases made by the undercover officers and investigators.
Representatives from the investigation company say it’s one of the biggest counterfeit busts they’ve uncovered while working for Nike.
Shoes are Nike Air Force One and Nike Air Jordan knockoffs. The shoes were purchased for $30 from an importer in New York, who imported them from China.
Police said the shoes sold for $60 to $75.
Source
(Good looking out G Roc)