Not too long ago, a bill was proposed that was drawn-up to crack down on the thriving fake designer goods business in New York City. The bill stated that purchasers of the fake designer bags, belts, wallets, and more could not only be fined up to a $1,000, but they could also face a year in jail. Which is crazy, because most of the people who are buying these shamefully awful items are tourists who are also spending serious bread in other parts of the city.
So Bloomberg and his boys are surprisingly trying to make something legal. The New York Post is reporting that the mayor is looking to block the proposed bill. "It's such a large fine it would deter people from making nearly any purchases," paper's sources said.
But other people don't see the situation of copping Rolexs that turn your wrist green as such an innocent act. Councilman Peter Vallone went as far as to compare buying a a faux Louis Vuttion bag to partaking in human trafficking. "You don't have unknowing buyers any more," Vallone told the Post. "It's more like a hostage exchange."
We've all seen it before: You're walking down the street, minding your business, and cops barge out of nowhere, slamming a dude against the wall who's holding a garbage bag full of purses. But that could soon be the unsuspecting schlub visiting the city from Kansas who wants to show his friends or girlfriend the Gucci that he bought.
What are your thoughts? Should buying counterfeit goods be a crime? Let us know.
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[via NY Post]
