The Dept. of Homeland Security, along with local law enforcement, raided a flea market this past weekend near Lawrence, Mass., arresting 40 people for selling counterfeit goods.
Since when is DHS suppose to be raiding flea markets? Aren’t they suppose to be tracking down terrorists? Oh wait, that’s what the Muslim Brotherhood organization considers Americans to be.
LAWRENCE — Police, joined by agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, arrested 40 people for selling counterfeit items at two flea markets yesterday.
“This is an effort to support local, legitimate businesses who have complained of these individuals selling bogus merchandise,” Interim Lawrence Police Chief James Fitzpatrick said of the sweep last night.
“Over the course of several months, we targeted individual selling counterfeit goods and counterfeit intellectual property. Our investigation culminated with the arrests of over 40 people involved in selling these illicit items,” he said. “In recent history, I believe this is probably the largest raid in Massachusetts involving counterfeit goods.”
The raids began at about 11 a.m. yesterday and lasted through late afternoon. The raids took place at Don Flea Market at 85 Manchester St., and Lawrence Flea Market and Auction House at 468 N. Canal St, near the Falls Bridge, according to Fitzpatrick. The Police Department used several vans, some of them loaned by the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, to transport the defendants to the Lawrence Police Department, where they were being booked last night.
Fitzpatrick said he believed that most of those charged were from out of town.
“The Department of Homeland Security was the lead with Lawrence Police Department,” said Carrie Kimball-Monahan, spokeswoman for Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s office.
“We were part of the investigation and we will prosecute,” she said.
Police referred all comments on the raid to federal authorities. Calls to the U.S. Attorney’s office and Homeland Security were not returned.
Fitzpatrick said federal agents planned to wait until tomorrow before issuing a press release about yesterday’s raids.
“There’s a great deal of evidence that needs to be cataloged,” Fitzpatrick said of the items seized. Some of the counterfeit items sold were fake lines of clothing, he said.
Homeland security was started to make sure info was transmitted and shared between existing agencys after 9 11 showed no interaction between local, FBI, CIA and so on resulting in no one having the whole picture. It was not suppose to be a separate enforcement force. Like always in big gov. it bloated into another bureaucrat filled power craving something not intended
I’m reading some of these comments and I’m astounded at how many people are saying things that are flat out incorrect with GREAT conviction. THIS FUNCTION HAS ALWAYS EXISTED UNDER THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE, PREVIOUSLY UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY….NOT THE DOJ. And it is the ONLY agency that has ever had jurisdiction over the enforcement of IPR laws. CBP/HSI enforce importation laws for 60-some other agencies BECAUSE THEY ARE AT THE BORDER. Bryan is correct. The HSI Agents (which is the investigative arm of Customs, now known as Customs and Border Protection) does these raids (and always has) because the counterfeit goods are IMPORTED INTO THE U.S., which these agencies ALSO have jurisdiction over. So unless the DOJ wants to $#%&!@*ign people permanently to the ports-of-entry, it will continue to be under the jurisdiction of CBP/HSI. There’s no big conspiracy here and it’s NOTHING NEW for Pete’s sake.
Maybe the sales of counterfeit goods were funding terrorists in Syria?
What idiots
Thomas Perez please show me the imigration laws that were violated by those you mention. Then apply them to the so called American Indian that came here from Asia. What makes thwir migration to this area any more legal? (Billy)
Yes. Because American Companies are having their product made in China. If you don’t want them ripping you off then stop making it there. (Billy)
None of the companies I mentioned have any factories in China stupid
Lol
wuhhhh?4
Red dawn