Politics & Government
Should Buying a Fake Designer Bag be Illegal?
Council mulling legislation to make it illegal to buy counterfeit products in the city.
by Matthew Hampton
Ever buy a "Couch" bag or a "Sorny Gamestation?" Do it again, and you could be looking at some genuine hard time.
New legislation recently debated by the city council could make purchasing fake designer handbags and other knock-off products — a misdemeanor punishable by a fine and jail time, according to U.S. News and World Report.
City Council member Margaret Chin, of lower Manhattan, is leading the crusade after introducing her legislation in April.
According to the report, Chin has said she's not really trying to jail tourists looking for souvenirs on the cheap , she just wants to start a process that will eliminate — or at least severely hamstring — the counterfeit industry that runs rampant in parts of the city.
Among the bills opponents are Mayor Michael Bloomberg — who, for once, is calling someone else's measure too draconian — and Councilman Peter Vallone.
For more, check out the story here.
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