Passing off fake purses for real was an act that was already frowned upon by the masses, but very soon it may actually be a crime punishable by law; that is if Manhattan councilwoman Margaret Chin has her way.
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The hard-hitter is ready for some reformation when it comes to counterfeit goods in New York City, and she doesn’t think it should all come in the form of punishing the seller.
Almost like a scene from the girls trip to Abu Dhabi in Sex and the City 2, Margaret Chin wants to make it a crime to buy sham Chanels, pirated Pradas and other counterfeit handbags in New York City’s Chinatown.
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If Margaret Chin has her way, the bill would slap tourists and bargain hunters caught buying designer fakes with a maximum $1,000 fine and up to a year in prison.
She spoke of the bill proposal to the New York Post saying:
“People think it’s an adventure. If you want to get these name-brand knock-offs at a cheap price, you go to Chinatown. It’s always illegal for people to sell, but it’s not illegal for the people who buy this stuff,” she added. “Hopefully, this law will cut down on the demand.”
“People are worried that some innocent middle-aged woman might unwittingly purchase a [counterfeit] bag, if you go into a back room, basement or van, you probably know what you’re doing is not legal.”
And she has a point! The China Town exchange isn’t what it once was.
What do you think of a bill that would hold not only sellers of counterfeit, but buyers accountable as well?
SOURCE: New York Post
