Massive UGGs Counterfeit Scheme Busted in Jersey

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Today in brand hijacking (Homeland Security's words, not ours), footwear colossus UGGs stars in the equally large and unwieldy counterfeit scheme that sought to smuggle $325 million worth of bogus shoes, bags, and cosmetics into the US from China. The scheme involved two criminal rings, over a hundred transactions across various bank accounts, and at least 29 people in multiple New Jersey locations, the New York Times reports. The paper also delivers our quote of the day with this gem from defendant Hai Yan Jiang: when asked whether counterfeit cosmetics might be harmful to users, Jiang replied that if he were going to worry about such things, he might as well "go be a monk."

· Officials Tell of Fake Labels Hidden Beneath Fake Labels [NYT]
· Uggs, Coach, and Tiffany are This Year's Most-Counterfeited Brands [Racked]