$850,000 IN COUNTERFEIT FOOTWEAR SEIZED IN CHARLOTTE

AND SURROUNDING AREAS BEING DONATED TO NEEDY

RALEIGH – About $850,000 in counterfeit footwear seized by the N.C. Secretary of State's Office, N.C. Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement and other agencies in Charlotte and surrounding areas was boxed up last week and will be provided to needy countries around the world.

With permission from Nike and Timberland, the 8,000 pairs of shoes and 500 boots are being donated to World Vision, a Christian relief agency that provides disaster assistance.

“We saw this as a great opportunity to help those less fortunate,” said John Ledford, director of ALE.  “Confiscated goods are usually destroyed after their evidentiary value ends.”

The seizures and arrests are part of a statewide program involving law enforcement officers and agents from many local, county and state agencies organized by the N.C. Secretary of State's Office to fight counterfeit products. “The growing dangers to our society posed by the global criminal syndicates that make and move most counterfeit products has never been greater,” North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall said.

“These fake brand name goods steal sales from the legitimate companies that make the real products and they steal business from the local merchants who play by the rules and carry the genuine products,” Secretary Marshall said. “I also add my thanks to Nike and Timberland for agreeing to let these seized shoes go to people who are in need right now.”

Last October, Charlotte ALE agents starting working counterfeit merchandise cases in District VIII and two agents were subsequently assigned to assist the Secretary of State's Office in enforcing trademark laws.  Agents Scott Minderlein and Dan Hutmacher have been working with other North Carolina law enforcement agencies to provide surveillance on numerous outlets selling counterfeit name brand items such as clothing, handbags and jewelry. 

More than $2 million in goods have been seized thus far and about 40 people arrested.  Arrests have been made in Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties.

“This has been a collaborative effort and we're making progress on addressing counterfeit sales,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Griffin, who heads the ALE District VIII office in Charlotte.  “Agents Minderlein and Humacher have done an outstanding job.  It takes patience, perseverance and an ability to spot counterfeit goods, and then follow through and make the arrests.”

ALE is a division of the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety.  It's 117 sworn agents enforce alcohol, tobacco, drug and gambling laws.

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