Polices take millions worth of fake products

March 01, 2023 Photo Counterfeit items taken by authorities. More than $80 million worth of fake products were taken by the Financial Investigations Division (FID) at a wholesale run by a Chinese business person in downtown Kingston in 2015. In the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday, the accused, Jianguo Zhao, was arraigned on an indictment for breaching the Consumer Protection Act and 5 counts of breaching the Trademark Act. It was shown the court that on December 7, 2022, FID members browsed a wholesale situated on Beckford Street, and discovered products sporting trademark name on display screen and in a storage room at the back of the facilities. It showed an obstacle when Zhao was to plead as he did not comprehend the indictment when it read in basic English, with legal lingo and terms consisted of. A lawyer in court recommended to Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque to have actually the indictment checked out in the Jamaican Creole. “Yes, that holds true. They constantly comprehend the vernacular much better. Plead him madam clerk. Inform him ’bout the brand name dem,” the senior jurist advised. “Yuh did a sell Polo t-shirt, Crocs shoes, Nike shoes, Puma shoes, Louis Vuitton bag inna yuh shop on the seventh of December Mr Zhao?” the clerk of court asked. “Yes, a di difficulty time,” Zhao showed, revealing his guilty plea. Zhao was represented by attorney-at-law Tamika Harris, who verified his guilty plea and discussed court treatments and the charges to him. Judge Cole-Montaque did not enforce the sentence on Tuesday. She adjourned the matter up until April 28 when Zhao is to have cash readily available to pay the fines. – T.T.

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