Thread: It that a Coach bag? Island man held on counterfeiting charg

It that a Coach bag? Island man held on counterfeiting charges
By DANIEL BROWNSTEIN
dbrownstein@islandpacket.com
843-706-8125
Published Friday, September 26, 2008


A 30-year-old Hilton Head Island man faces counterfeiting charges for allegedly displaying for sale more than a quarter-million dollars worth of fake Coach handbags at two beach supply shops.

Aviv Avraham Ben Yair, of Wedgefield Drive, was arrested Thursday morning.

Detectives seized handbags they valued at $772,970 and $3,871 in cash from Ocean Motion and Waikiki Surf Shop on Aug. 27, according to reports. Both shops are at 2 North Forest Beach Drive.

Ben Yair, who was born in Israel, is in the county jail. He also is under a federal Immigration & Customs Enforcement hold, which indicates the agency believes he is an illegal immigrant.

If convicted on the counterfeiting charges, he faces 10 years in prison and $50,000 in fines.

The case was forwarded to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office by the S.C. Secretary of State's Office.

A customer had called Coach to complain about the alleged knock-off bags. The company filed a complaint with the Secretary of State's Office, said the office's chief of staff, Melissa Dunlap.

Secretary of State Mark Hammond has made a statewide push to crack down on fake goods being sold in South Carolina stores and makeshift markets set up near gas stations and along roads.

"We did this statewide to try to put these counterfeiters out of business because of the economic impact they have on legitimate companies," Dunlap said. "There also are safety concerns associated with some of these fake products."

So far, authorities around the state have found knock-offs of Prada, Coach, Chanel, Tiffany & Co., Christian Dior, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Ed Hardy, Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade and Dooney & Bourke, according to the Secretary of State's Office.

There is some disagreement about who owns the two local stores.

The Sheriff's Office says Ben Yair is a part-owner of Ocean Motion and Waikiki Surf Shop. Ben Yair says the owner is Ronnie Bohbot, who as of last week was still in Israel.

Sheriff's Master Sgt. Mike Riley said detectives are convinced Ben Yair is at least handling the stores' day-to-day operations.

"He has a business card indicating he pretty much is a part-owner," Riley said.

EARLIER SEIZURE
Two other Hilton Head stores -- Island Breeze Resort Wear and Surf's Up, both at 8 North Forest Beach Drive -- also are accused of selling knock-off clothing.

In August, detectives seized fake Abercrombie & Fitch shirts and emblems that can be applied to clothing with heat. Police valued the items at $147,190.

That investigation is ongoing, said Sheriff's Master Sgt. Mike Riley.


http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/ ... 21698.html

The fake bags are all over CA. People actually have parties for them. I thought no way. You can get arrested. They gals even had business cards. Pretty stupid.

Just goes to show folks, not all illegals are Latino. Oh no is this racial profiling of Israelis????????????????????????