Police have arrested 28 people and seized a large quantity of pirated goods in a pre-holiday crackdown against counterfeit merchandise, authorities announced on Tuesday.
In the crackdown, the Los Angeles Anti-Piracy Task Force's "Operation Clean Sweep" busted manufacturers, distributors and merchants throughout Los Angeles, said David Doan, Commander of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
The 28 people arrested were facing a variety of charges, including manufacturing, distribution and sales of counterfeit goods, he said.
Nearly 200,000 pirated items with a street value of 2.76 million dollars were seized, he added.
"Piracy is a serious business, but we're determined to sweep it out of Los Angeles," said City Councilwoman Wendy Greuel. "People who make counterfeit goods are stealing, plain and simple. It's the same as picking someone's pocket or shoplifting."
Greuel said sales of pirated goods are frequently connected to gang members, who increasingly find the illicit business more lucrative than drug sales.
Piracy costs the Los Angeles economy jobs across nine sectors for a total of 4.4 billion dollars in lost wages annually, according to a report issued this year by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation.
"During these difficult economic times, we can't afford to lose a single job or a single dollar," Greuel said. "Every dollar lost to piracy represents wages lost for hardworking Angelenos."
Source:Xinhua
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