Rowlett Police have announced the seizure of $62,000 counterfeit luxury items with an estimated street value of $101 million. They are calling the investigation, which began on February 9, a multi-agency investigation into a social media-based distribution operation.
“The reporting person on this particular investigation came from the private investigator who represents the trademark companies,” Rowlett Police spokesperson Cruz Hernandez said. “He contacted us and notified us that he had information that fake products from Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Coach, and various others were coming.”
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The department said detectives executed enforcement actions connected to the operation, seizing large quantities of counterfeit merchandise, approximately $208,000 in U.S. currency, and one vehicle.
Authorities said they received information that the counterfeit items were being sold through Facebook Live and distributed from locations across Rowlett.
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Hernandez said as far as victims go, this is a good example of if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
“The only thing I have to say about that is that I feel that the people that are buying an $8,000 purse with some type of trademark brand like Louis Vuitton or Gucci or Coach, if you’re paying $300, $400 for that, you probably know that it’s not real,” Hernandez said.
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Orlando Gonzalez Marcella has been charged with Trademark Counterfeiting Over $300,000, a first-degree felony, and remains in custody at the Dallas County Jail. An arrest warrant has been issued for Aida Karina Lopez Alvarez, who remains at large.
The investigation involved the Rowlett Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations, along with anti-counterfeit experts representing brands including Cartier, Chanel, Christian Dior, Coach, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada.