KUALA LUMPUR: Two Malaysians were among nine suspects charged in the United States with 72 counts of smuggling, trafficking in counterfeit goods, conspiracy and money laundering.
The two Malaysians, who were arrested in Guam, were identified as Wai Hong Yong, 43, and Eng Cheng Kee, 40.
The nine accused face a total of 1,095 years in prison and a fine of US$66 million (RM218 million), if given the maximum sentence.
A Federal police spokesman in Bukit Aman said they had exchanged information with their US counterparts following the arrest of the two Malaysians and their accomplices last week.
"Information received revealed oil painting the nine were part of a smuggling ring which exported hundreds of thousands of counterfeit shoes and handbags from China and Malaysia to the United States oil painting and England," the source said.
London police revealed 50,000 counterfeit items were seized last week including branded shoes, handbags and watches. Samples of fake Viagra pills were also seized along with STG350,000 (RM1.75 million) from the suspects.
"It is believed that the syndicate was hoping to branch out into sales of the erectile dysfunction drug around Europe," the source disclosed, adding that the suspects were also oil painting believed to have laundered US$122,000.
A statement issued by the Maryland US Attorney's Office said besides the two Malaysians, the others indicted were four China nationals and three US citizens.
The nine suspects were arrested by authorities in Guam, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and North Carolina. It is also understood that six others were nabbed by London police in England although details were not immediately available.
Authorities revealed that the nine were nabbed after an undercover operation. The suspects were believed to have asked the agents to import and clear shipments of counterfeit products into the US.
The suspects wanted the handbags purses shipment to go through without payment of taxes and customs duties. They were believed to have acted as manufacturers, brokers, middlemen and distributors of counterfeit goods, manufactured in handbags purses Malaysia and China.
The charge sheet read that on 33 occasions from May 2008 to December 2009, the defendants directed the shipment of containers of counterfeit goods to the Port of Baltimore.handbags purses
The contents of the shipments were 130,000 pairs of fake Nike shoes, 475,000 bogus Coach bags, 500 fake Cartier watches and 10,000 pairs of phony Gucci and Coach shoes.
It was alleged smuggling fees were paid to undercover officers either directly or through electronic transfers. An undisclosed sum of cash was also laundered through undercover agents.
The laundered money was believed to have been wired to accounts in Malaysia.
