Counterfeits worth $2 trillion annually

Ashly Sands, an intellectual property attorney and head of litigation and anti-counterfeiting at the law firm Epstein Drangel LLP, emphasized the severity of the issue during a recent visit to Canal Street in Manhattan, known for its bootleg market. "When I started, I guess about 12 years ago, we did this all the time. We would do monthly raids with our clients," she said. Last month U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the NYPD announced the seizure of more than $1 billion worth of counterfeit luxury goods here. It was the largest bust of its kind in U.S. history. Sands used to spend much of her time working with major fashion retailers cracking down on counterfeits sold on the streets and in back alleys. But she says her work has shifted to an explosion of counterfeits being sold direct-to-consumers online and through e-commerce platforms. "It's massive. If you can get a real version of something, an authentic version of something, there is a 99% chance that you can get a counterfeit," said Sands. It's a booming industry, considered the largest illicit trade in the world, with $2 trillion worth of counterfeit products sold to consumers annually, according to the National Crime Prevention Council. U.S. Customs and Border Protection warns that online shopping has transformed the counterfeit trade into a breeding ground for criminals pushing potentially dangerous fakes. Counterfeit electronics, for instance, contribute to over 70 deaths and 350,000 serious injuries in the United States annually, the National Crime Prevention Council reports, shedding light on the grim consequences of purchasing fraudulent goods.