NEW YORK (AP) — Authorities say five people have been arrested in a multi-million dollar counterfeit perfume scheme that stretched to several other states.
They say bogus fragrances made in China were packaged to look like high-end brands. Investigators say a sample of one perfume had a chemical that’s linked to cancer and organ damage.
Other media reports say the fake perfumes could contain substances such as antifreeze and urine.
The suspects face charges of trafficking counterfeit goods. They were released on bond after appearing in a Manhattan federal court Wednesday, May 25, 2016.
Investigators say perfumes were replicated using cheaper materials. They were shipped to New Jersey and then Queens, where they were labeled and packaged to look legitimate.
The bust was part of an 18-month investigation led by U.S. Homeland Security officials, according to the complaint against the 5 people charged.
The complaint alleged the thousands of fakes included phony bottles marked as Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue, Lacoste, Polo, Gucci Guilty, Christian Dior, Jadore Dior, Coco Chanel, Juicy Couture, Chanel No. 5, Prada, Versace, Michael Kors, Burberry, Givenchy, and Mark Jacobs.
Authorities say wholesalers bought the fragrances for a fraction of the cost of the real brands, and sold them to out-of-state retailers across the country; including some in to Florida, Illinois, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia and Washington D.C., according to ABC7 in New York.
Those retailers paid between $8 to $20 a bottle for the fakes, as opposed to prices up to $60 per bottle for the real thing, according to the New York Daily News.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
