The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday it has apprehended two suspects accused of selling large quantities of counterfeit goods at a shopping mall in Dongdaemun-gu.
Authorities seized 1,649 fake items in what officials described as the largest counterfeit crackdown in the city’s history. They said the goods — high-quality replicas of luxury brands — would have retailed for a combined 7.2 billion won ($4.9 million).
The case was forwarded to prosecutors Thursday, officials said.
The suspects are believed to have primarily targeted foreign tourists, working with tour guides to attract customers to their store. Their shop occupied a large portion of a floor in the mall and is believed to have operated for about a decade.
To evade detection, the suspects installed surveillance cameras and used hidden storage spaces throughout the premises to conceal the counterfeit goods.
Officials from the city’s special judicial police unit said they carried out a six-month undercover investigation, using digital forensics and other methods to uncover the hidden inventory and gather evidence.
They said the city would step up efforts to crack down on counterfeit sales.
Under the Trademark Act, selling counterfeit goods is punishable by up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
