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Sales of Counterfeit Items in The Bahamas Continues Unabated

Despite the arrest of nine Bahamian women in New York on charges of having counterfeit merchandise, Bahamian authorities have done nothing to stem the illegal trade.

Superintendent Leon Bethell, commanding officer of the Central Detective Unit, said police are waiting for a decision on the country’s first prosecution of persons accused of having counterfeit brands.

That may take awhile.

A Chinese man and his Bahamian wife were arrested back in 2006 following a raid on a warehouse containing knock-offs of designer brands such as Prada, Gucci and Coach. Corrupt members of the Bahamas legal community have allegedly prevented that case from ever going to trial.

The case was scheduled to be heard last week, but was mysteriously postponed.

The sales of illegal counterfeit goods is still quite a thriving business at straw markets throughout the Bahamas.

Sellers of pirated DVDs operate on street corners and in front of grocery stroes and shopping markets. The owners of the largest video store chain in the Bahamas make a living selling and renting stolen intellectual property.

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