Counterfeit apparel seized on Long Island

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - The Ugg boots, North Face jackets and belts on display on Long Island may look but they are actually all counterfeit items.

Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas called it one of the largest trademark counterfeit busts in the nation. Officials unveiled two separate cases of counterfeiting with over an estimated $1 million in merchandise.

"These items are substandard and potentially unsafe," Singas said.

Investigators say Guosheng Hu had more than 3,000 boxes filled with assorted clothing and brand name labels inside this commercial warehouse in Westbury. They only found it because he allegedly didn't pay the rent.

Nassau County Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter said the counterfeiting was done right in the county.

Investigators also found $200,000 worth of heavy-duty embroidery machines capable of producing hundreds of thousands of piece of goods.

"It is alleged that the defendant in this case brought women in a van from Queens to work at the warehouse," Singas said. "These women attached tags, labels and stamps to counterfeit apparel."

Caesar Berenguel works next door. He said he had no idea this was going on.

"Early in the mornings I would see vans pull in and at late at night, I would see, again, vans pulling in or out," he said.

Counterfeit expert James Ricaurte said he considers them good fakes but cost and quality are key.

"The stitching on the embroidery is frayed, it's not aligned properly," Ricaurte said. "Those are the details everyone should be looking at."

Officials said that each year U.S. Customs seizes over $1 billion in goods.

If convicted, Hu can face up to 4 years behind bars. The DA hopes his charges will be upgraded. He is due back in court Tuesday.