Houston flea market raided over counterfeit goods

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Officers raided booths at Traders Village Saturday, arresting three people and confiscating boxes of counterfeit goods.

Homeland Security agents along with the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff's Office conducted the operation. Officers found boxes of fake cell phone accessories.

"Often times counterfeit goods are substandard, shoddy, and the manufacturer of them is not up to any sort of standards," Homeland Security Special Agent Richard Halverson said, "And if you were to put some of these counterfeit goods into your devices or to use them, they may fail and cause serious harm to you."

The three individuals arrested will be charged with felonies for selling counterfeit products.

Traders Village Marketing Manager Carl Foy tells Eyewitness News the sale of counterfeit products will not be tolerated.

"Things like this really set us back. We take it very personally," Foy said. "We work very hard to make sure the businesses that are here are legitimate and work hard to earn their money the right way."

Foy says Traders Village employs undercover officers to search for counterfeit products.

Other vendors say counterfeiters harm the overall image of Traders Village.

"This shop actually has what you come to Traders Village for, something different, something unique, something handmade that you can't find anywhere else," Jonathan Pia says, "So that's the reason I think the counterfeit stuff hurts us."

All three vendors arrested will be charged with Trademark Counterfeiting, a felony under Texas law.