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4 March 2015Trademarks

New Jersey residents punished for selling fake Mac cosmetics

An anti-counterfeiting operation run by officials in New Jersey has led to the punishment of three residents there for their roles in selling and distributing fake Mac cosmetics.

Jorge Robles, Ana Del LaMota and Rossy Robles had all been arrested in December for importing counterfeit Mac items from China and selling them in New York City and through an online retailer.

Jorge Robles was jailed for five years on Monday (March 2) at the Superior Court of New Jersey after having pleaded guilty to a charge of second degree counterfeiting.

The charge applies under New Jersey state law when an individual has been handling more than 1,000 counterfeit items or if the goods involved are worth more than $15,000.

Rossy Robles and Del LaMota both pleaded guilty to third degree counterfeiting, which is applied when the goods’ total value is between $1,000 and $15,000, or when it is the person’s second conviction for selling counterfeit goods.

Del LaMota was placed on probation for three years and Robles was ordered to serve three years in a pre-trial intervention programme, a rehabilitation programme for first-time offenders.

All three had pleaded guilty to their respective charges on January 2.

They were caught by ‘Operation Big MAC’, conducted by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the US Department for Homeland Security.

The items sold featured the trademark of ‘Mac’ (‘ Make-up Art Cosmetics’), a luxury cosmetics brand that is part of Estee Lauder Companies.

At the time of their arrest, on December 22, together they were found to be in the possession of 2,000 fake items and approximately $22,000 in cash.

Andrew Carey, Middlesex County prosecutor, said: “Counterfeit cosmetics are a public health concern, as unwitting victims are applying potentially toxic substances to their faces and bodies.

“We will continue to partner with other law enforcement agencies to target similar criminal activity that threatens the safety of our citizens and provides an outlet for an underground black market,” he added.

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