BY JANICE MORSE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MONROE -- Flea-market shoppers beware: That nifty Tommy Hilfiger T-shirt offered at a bargain price just might be bogus.
Working with a private loss-prevention company, officers Saturday seized almost 1,900 items thought to be unlicensed imitations from Traders World Flea Market, Monroe Police Chief Ernest Howard said Monday.
The confiscated merchandise filled 31 boxes.
Most of the items were knock-offs of the Hilfiger and FUBU (For U, By U) brand names, which are popular with teens and young adults, Chief Howard said. There also were some items emblazoned with Warner Bros. and Disney cartoon characters.
Located off Interstate 75, Traders World features dozens of vendors, but Chief Howard said the allegedly bogus articles were being sold from only four booths. The flea market is one of the region's largest and attracts thousands of Southwest Ohio bargain shoppers. Attempts to obtain comments from officials at Traders World were unsuccessful Monday.
It is tough for consumers to tell which goods are fake. There's often no easy way to tell the real stuff from the fake -- even for authorities. Monroe police do not attempt bogus-goods sweeps without expert advice from the loss-prevention experts, who travel from city to city in search of trademark infringements, Chief Howard said. Monroe police, who also seized nearly $1,500 in cash from the vendors involved, are expected to meet with prosecutors this week to decide what charges might be filed.
