El Presidente Posted November 8, 2009 Posted November 8, 2009 Phony Stogie Makers Busted in Hialeah Multi-million dollar operation broken up in police raid By JEFF BURNSIDE and BRIAN HAMACHER http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Ph...h-69363667.html Updated 7:56 AM EST, Fri, Nov 6, 2009 A South Florida multi-million dollar phony cigar operation went up in smoke yesterday when it was raided by law enforcement officials after a five-month investigation. At least one man was arrested and another taken into custody after the raid on two Hialeah warehouses that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said were some of the biggest counterfeit cigar operations in the country. "This is very satisfying," said Jorge Espinosa, a lawyer representing many of the upscale cigar brands that were being counterfeited by the operation. "They're counterfeiting cigars and they're using my client's famous trademarks to do so." Among the items confiscated were fake cigar boxes, made soo well they look better than the original in some cases, a pallet full of phony cigar labels, and a half-million dollar printer used to make the labels and cigar tubes. The fake packaging was being moved elsewhere to merge with fake cigars, then transported and sold throughout the country. "The legitimate industry is suffering because of this illegitimate business," said private investigator Eladio Paez. "We're talking millions of dollars," said Espinosa. "You have to understand that what is a box of cheap 25-cent cigars they can sell for $300." And experts said some of the money from the illegal operation goes to organized crime and even back to criminals in Cuba. "We believe that some money flows back into Cuba since a lot of the original labels and tags come from the island," Espinosa said, adding that his clients weren't stopping the fight against the phony stogie makers. "The message is, you keep counterfeiting our product, we're coming after you. And we will put you out of business."
jquest63 Posted November 8, 2009 Posted November 8, 2009 Another one bites the dust! Hope the busts keep coming!
Jesuscookies Posted November 8, 2009 Posted November 8, 2009 "made soo well they look better than the original in some cases" Wow! I say off with their heads!
Buch0 Posted November 8, 2009 Posted November 8, 2009 LOL at the guy with a cigar a lite in the raid.. Why not?!?
samb Posted November 8, 2009 Posted November 8, 2009 Those sorry sonsabitches!!! Why they gotta be f-ing with peoples $hit? Glad they got 'em, the bastids.
Ginseng Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 Wow. Greed apparently makes one pretty ballsy. Good riddance. Wilkey
Tampa1257 Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 The Fake Cuban Cigar business is a multi-billion dollar a year business in the US. Very glad they stopped this one, hope they get them all.
coopesc2000 Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 Glad to hear it!!! To be honest kind of surprised that they were in the US. Either way burn 'em to the stake!!!
Bartolomeo Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 Sad thing is I bet that is not the only one in South Florida, just the only one that got caught I will be down there this week and will do some investigating, see if I can sniff them out Bart
lordlister Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 Looks like Rob needs to find a new distributor
Ellery Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 Glad to see those guys get caught. If the boxes are that good,I wonder how well do they smoke
ChanceSchmerr Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 Umm....Just wanna say...those look like LCDH tags on the boxes behind the man with the "fake" Esplendidos....Suddenly I don't trust ANYONE anymore!!!
cvm4 Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 Boxes made better than the originals? May'be Cuba should set up a learning workshop with these guys teaching
aavkk Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 I would be shocked if they were counterfeiting more than a few different marcas and vitolas. Cohiba Espys, Robustos and maybe Siglo IV's. Probably also Party D4's and R&J Churchills. That guy in the picture has probably never heard of Juan Lopez, Diplomaticos, Raphael Gonzales or any of the Party Series Du Connausseur line!
riderpride Posted November 9, 2009 Posted November 9, 2009 Phony Stogie Makers Busted in Hialeah "This is very satisfying," said Jorge Espinosa, a lawyer representing many of the upscale cigar brands that were being counterfeited by the operation. "They're counterfeiting cigars and they're using my client's famous trademarks to do so." Hmmm...General Cigar? So, if they're fake fakes, does that make them real? Joking aside, it's nice to see guys like this caught.
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