By Nathan Duke
Law enforcement officials seized an estimated $25 million in counterfeit goods last week at a Long Island City warehouse and arrested two borough men who are accused of delivering the items to flea markets, a spokesman for federal prosecutors said.
Police and federal officials raided a warehouse at 34-09 Queens Blvd. in Long Island City on April 9, confiscating more than 20,000 pairs of counterfeit Nike sneakers as well as fake batteries, baseball caps and Louis Vuitton handbags, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Benton Campbell of the Eastern District said.
Some of the products are believed to have been made with hazardous materials that posed a potential threat to consumers, police said.
Authorities believe that the ring has links to China, the spokesman said.
Police arrested Jin Ming Yu, 43, of Woodside, and Feng Ye, 44, of Corona, during the bust, the spokesman said. The two men were not believed to be the ringleaders of the operation, but are suspected of acting as warehouse runners, he said.
The defendants are suspected of transporting some of the stolen goods to flea markets, street fairs and other similar venues, and law enforcement officials have evidence that one of the defendants had transferred money to bank accounts in China, the spokesman said.
The defendants will face federal counterfeiting charges, the spokesman said.
Yu was held without bail while Ye was released on a $250,000 personal recognizance bond, the spokesman for the U.S. attorney said.
Representatives from the city and Nassau County police departments, Immigration Customs Enforcement, the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn and the Internal Revenue Service also raided warehouses in Edison, N.J., and New Hyde Park, L.I., Nassau County police said. The bust followed a six-month investigation, Nassau County police said.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
