Downtown Raid Yields $7.1 Million In Counterfeit Goods

LOS ANGELES, CA — A police raid on a Downtown Los Angeles warehouse yielded millions of dollars worth of counterfeit goods along with three illegal assault weapons, the Los Angeles Police Department announced this week.

Three people were arrested in the raid in the 500 block of Towne Avenue, and more than 660,000 counterfeit items were seized, according to police. Many of the counterfeit goods included unregulated vape products that could be hazardous to unsuspecting shoppers.

"Detectives observed a manufacturing and distribution operation for counterfeit vape that included several well-known brands," the LAPD said in a statement. "Manufacturers of counterfeit products are not beholden to the same rigorous materials and testing standards. In order to prevent the risk of buying counterfeit, only buy from authorized vendors and directly from the manufacturers, and do your due diligence when researching the names and places of origin of your vape product suppliers."

The seized counterfeit items included over 662,809 imitation hats, beanies, t-shirts, footwear and video games that could fetch an estimated $7,101,164.00 on the market, detectives said.

Police described one of the confiscated weapons as "ghost gun," lacking a serial number.

The three people arrested face charges of having illegal assault weapons and counterfeiting, according to the department. Authorities did not identify the suspects.