This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
Counterfeit designer clothing, medicines and other products are made and sold around the world. American investigators say the counterfeit goods industry is bigger business than the illegal drug trade. And they say anyone buying such goods could be providing support to other criminal activities.
Counterfeit goods may look like the real thing. But they are only copies made without the approval of the business or individual with rights to the original product.
Many fake goods from East Asia enter the United States through the port of Los Angeles, California. People looking for low prices on goods go to a part of Los Angeles called Santee Alley. It is a place where counterfeit goods are sold. Clothing, sunglasses, watches and toys fill the many small stores in the area.
Anita Grey has been going to Santee Alley for years. She says she would never buy fake designer products, but she has seen them there.
A file photo of counterfeit designer products seized in a raid by federal officials.
ANITA GREY: "I know years ago when I come down, you would see it. And now, you don't see it at all."
Investigator Kris Buckner says there is a reason people do not see counterfeit goods openly displayed at Santee Alley anymore: police have repeatedly raided stores that carry fake designer goods. As a result, people who sell them are much more careful.
Kris Buckner says they will offer buyers the fake goods, and take them to a storage area where the counterfeits are hidden. He says the estimated five hundred billion dollar a year counterfeiting industry is bigger than the drug trade. He says street gangs, international organized crime groups and even terrorists are involved with counterfeiting.
KRIS BUCKNER: "Then you have groups that have ties to Hezbollah, Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas that have engaged in this activity. The problem is it's a perfect opportunity for these guys to make money. You got to look at the global marketplace. It's estimated that 10 percent of the goods you'll see out there are estimated to be counterfeit."
At the port of Los Angeles, police seize counterfeit clothing, prescription medications, electronics and cigarettes. Investigators say large amounts of the fake and stolen designer products come from China and enter through American ports in large shipping containers. More than fourteen million shipping containers arrive in Los Angeles every year. Police are able to inspect less than one percent of them.
Police say there are ways to tell if a product is counterfeit. Look at the kind of store where the product is sold, and whether the price seems too low. If it is, it is probably a fake.
And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report. You can see a video version of this report at our website 51voa.com, where you can also read, listen to and learn American English, and leave comments on our stories. I'm Christopher Cruise.
Contributing: Elizabeth Lee
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
這里是美國之音慢速英語經濟報道。
Counterfeit designer clothing, medicines and other products are made and sold around the world. American investigators say the counterfeit goods industry is bigger business than the illegal drug trade. And they say anyone buying such goods could be providing support to other criminal activities.
假冒名牌服裝、藥品和其它產品被生產出來并銷往世界各地。美國調查人員表示,假貨行業(yè)的規(guī)模超過了非法毒品交易。他們還表示,任何人購買這類假貨都可能是為其它犯罪活動提供支持。
Counterfeit goods may look like the real thing. But they are only copies made without the approval of the business or individual with rights to the original product.
假貨可能看上去像真品。但它們只是未經對原產品擁有權利的企業(yè)和個人批準生產出來的復制品。
Many fake goods from East Asia enter the United States through the port of Los Angeles, California. People looking for low prices on goods go to a part of Los Angeles called Santee Alley. It is a place where counterfeit goods are sold. Clothing, sunglasses, watches and toys fill the many small stores in the area.
許多來自東亞的假貨通過加州洛杉磯港口進入美國。尋找更低價格商品的人們去往洛杉磯的圣提街(Santee Alley),這是假貨的銷售地點。服裝、太陽鏡、手表和玩具堆滿了該地區(qū)的許多小商店。
Anita Grey has been going to Santee Alley for years. She says she would never buy fake designer products, but she has seen them there.
安妮塔·格蕾多年來一直去圣提街。她說她從來不買假冒名牌產品,但她在那里有看到。
ANITA GREY: "I know years ago when I come down, you would see it. And now, you don't see it at all."
格蕾:“幾年前我來這里還能看到(假冒產品),但現(xiàn)在根本見不著了。”
Investigator Kris Buckner says there is a reason people do not see counterfeit goods openly displayed at Santee Alley anymore: police have repeatedly raided stores that carry fake designer goods. As a result, people who sell them are much more careful.
調查員克里斯.巴克納(Kris Buckner)說,人們在圣提街再也看不到假貨公開展示,那是因為警方多次搜查銷售假冒名牌產品的店鋪,于是店主們都更加小心了。
Kris Buckner says they will offer buyers the fake goods, and take them to a storage area where the counterfeits are hidden. He says the estimated five hundred billion dollar a year counterfeiting industry is bigger than the drug trade. He says street gangs, international organized crime groups and even terrorists are involved with counterfeiting.
巴克納表示,店主會向買家提供假貨,帶他們假貨的藏身處(交易)。他說,預計假貨行業(yè)每年規(guī)模達到5000億美元,超過了毒品交易。街頭幫派、國際有組織犯罪集團甚至恐怖分子都參與其中。
KRIS BUCKNER: "Then you have groups that have ties to Hezbollah, Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas that have engaged in this activity. The problem is it's a perfect opportunity for these guys to make money. You got to look at the global marketplace. It's estimated that 10 percent of the goods you'll see out there are estimated to be counterfeit."
巴克納:“這些組織和涉及假冒產品活動的真主黨、穆斯林兄弟會以及哈馬斯有關系。問題是對這些人來說,這是個絕好的賺錢機會。放眼全球市場,預計10%的產品是假貨。”
At the port of Los Angeles, police seize counterfeit clothing, prescription medications, electronics and cigarettes. Investigators say large amounts of the fake and stolen designer products come from China and enter through American ports in large shipping containers. More than fourteen million shipping containers arrive in Los Angeles every year. Police are able to inspect less than one percent of them.
在洛杉磯港,警察會查封假冒的服裝、處方藥、電子產品和香煙。調查人員表示,大部分假冒和剽竊的產品來自中國,并通過大型海運集裝箱進入美國港口。每年抵達洛杉磯的海運集裝箱超過1400萬個。警察能夠檢查的不到1%。
Police say there are ways to tell if a product is counterfeit. Look at the kind of store where the product is sold, and whether the price seems too low. If it is, it is probably a fake.
警方表示,有辦法辨別一種產品是否為假冒??纯催@類產品在哪銷售,以及價格看上去是否太低。如果是的話,它可能就是假貨。