Suspect with over $15 million in counterfeit jewels arrested in Downtown Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES - Over $15 million in counterfeit jewelry was seized in Downtown LA during a multi-agency undercover operation.
Police say the suspect, 67-year-old Moossa Lari, is a “major distributor of counterfeit jewelry nationwide.'' He was arrest in Downtown Los Angeles this week on suspicion of a felony trademark violation.
Los Angeles police officers, in collaboration with the FBI, Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations, served search warrants in the Jewelry District around noon Thursday following several undercover buys and surveillance.
Officers recovered about $58,000 in cash and over $15 million in counterfeit jewels. Fake Hermes, Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Michael Kors, Cartier, Tiffany Co., YSL, Dior, Calvin Klein, Guess, Van Cleef and Bvlgari products were seized, the LAPD said.
The counterfeit jewelry was tested and did not meet United States safety standards for acceptable levels of cadmium and lead. The U.S. standard of acceptable lead and cadmium is 90 parts per million and the counterfeit jewelry seized tested as high as 200,000 parts per million, police said.
Lari posted bond and was due in court Dec. 4.