IMPORTANT NEWS...
ABT and Ocala Police Department Stop Counterfeit Operation
May 28, 2008
OCALA - Detectives with the Ocala Police Department, in a joint effort with the Division of Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco (ABT) – a division of the State of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation – served two search warrants simultaneously in reference to the possession and sale of counterfeit merchandise. The investigation began back in December of 2007 with a tip that the 7 Days Food Store, 2002 NW 1st Ave., and the Jiffy Food Store, 2425 NW 10th St., in Ocala were selling counterfeit Nike shoes. An operation was initiated where undercover officers purchased some of the shoes. The Nike Corporation verified the shoes as being counterfeit.
Today, at approximately 10:20 AM, the Ocala Police Department and ABT served search warrants at both locations simultaneously. At the Jiffy Food Store, 216 shoes (not pairs) were confiscated. At the 7 Days Food Store, 927 shoes (not pairs) were confiscated. In all, a total of 1,143 counterfeit Nike shoes were confiscated.
The Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco gave notice to both stores that they would be filing administrative charges against their licenses. Detective Thibodeau of the Ocala Police Department will be working the criminal aspect of the case. No arrests have been made at this time, and Det. Thibodeau will be presenting this case to the State Attorney’s Office.
The contact person at the State of Florida, Department of Business and Professional Regulation is Alexis Antonacci at 850-922-8981.
This was a successful combined effort between these two agencies.