Fake Nikes seized in Toronto; Ghanaians Arrested

Tronoto, Canada- If you wear Nike shoes, look at them closely. They could be fake. Peel police have seized more than 1,200 pairs of counterfeit Nike shoes worth $200,000 at several Mississauga warehouses and charged two Ghanaians based in Toronto. Edmund Kweku Bentil, 25, and Irene Asieda Mensah, 43, both of Toronto, have been charged with fraud over $5,000. These shoes, including high-end Air Jordans and Air Force I brands, are part of what police believe is an international counterfeit ring that spans several countries, including the United States, China and Ghana, and involves millions of dollars. "They're really good counterfeits," Peel Police spokesperson Kathy Gagnon told thestar.com. "They look like them (Nikes) but they're not good quality shoes. They're shoes that would normally be selling for a couple of hundred dollars."
She says if you got them cheap, you might question their authenticity.
The Peel Police's Intelligence Services Bureau, along with Canada Customs, says the international counterfeiting ring involved the importation and distribution of the fake shoes.
A three-month investigation resulted in the seizure at several Mississauga-area warehouses and a search warrant was executed in Toronto. The investigation also revealed a world-wide distribution network.
Gagnon said there's no indication yet how the suspects were selling them or what stores in the GTA were stocking them.
Organized crime groups from these countries are being investigated.
Detective Rod Jones of the Intelligence Bureau is warning members of the public to beware of these "too good to be true" bargains.
Gagnon said the fakes are "a lot cheaper" than the real Nike brands.
The investigation is still ongoing and there may be more arrests, she said.
Edmund Kweku Bentil, 25, and Irene Asieda Mensah, 43, both of Toronto, have been charged with fraud over $5,000.