The Dept. of Homeland Security, along with local law enforcement, raided a flea market this past weekend near Lawrence, Mass., arresting 40 people for selling counterfeit goods.
Since when is DHS suppose to be raiding flea markets? Aren’t they suppose to be tracking down terrorists? Oh wait, that’s what the Muslim Brotherhood organization considers Americans to be.
LAWRENCE — Police, joined by agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, arrested 40 people for selling counterfeit items at two flea markets yesterday.
“This is an effort to support local, legitimate businesses who have complained of these individuals selling bogus merchandise,” Interim Lawrence Police Chief James Fitzpatrick said of the sweep last night.
“Over the course of several months, we targeted individual selling counterfeit goods and counterfeit intellectual property. Our investigation culminated with the arrests of over 40 people involved in selling these illicit items,” he said. “In recent history, I believe this is probably the largest raid in Massachusetts involving counterfeit goods.”
The raids began at about 11 a.m. yesterday and lasted through late afternoon. The raids took place at Don Flea Market at 85 Manchester St., and Lawrence Flea Market and Auction House at 468 N. Canal St, near the Falls Bridge, according to Fitzpatrick. The Police Department used several vans, some of them loaned by the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, to transport the defendants to the Lawrence Police Department, where they were being booked last night.
Fitzpatrick said he believed that most of those charged were from out of town.
“The Department of Homeland Security was the lead with Lawrence Police Department,” said Carrie Kimball-Monahan, spokeswoman for Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s office.
“We were part of the investigation and we will prosecute,” she said.
Police referred all comments on the raid to federal authorities. Calls to the U.S. Attorney’s office and Homeland Security were not returned.
Fitzpatrick said federal agents planned to wait until tomorrow before issuing a press release about yesterday’s raids.
“There’s a great deal of evidence that needs to be cataloged,” Fitzpatrick said of the items seized. Some of the counterfeit items sold were fake lines of clothing, he said.
That crock pot and the blender could be bomb making components. Hey…ya never know.
They may be involved because money is sent to fund terrorist groups. Just a thought as to why involved.
I feel so much safer knowing I will not be accosted by a woman wielding a counterfeit Gucci bag.
Most of the items that I buy at flea markets are the real thing if you know what your looking for, well made products, vintage American products, etc. Not some imported Chinese c**p that falls apart in your hands like my last pair of hedge shears did, took them back! Found a better, American made used pair at flea market, sharpened them up and been 2 years now and their STILL good!
What????
They cant keep up with immigrants that were on the deport list, but they can make sure all bobble head dolls are legit.
Nothing better to do ?How about raiding Radical Mosques in Dearborn.Or does our Muslim in Chief forbid it
Amen Sharon Spradlin
DHS is supposed to round up terrorists and illegal immigrants not harass sellers at flea markets.
They’re mostly busting the bootleg movie sellers