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Traveling with fake luxury bags can get you in trouble, warns ex-prisoner
Bringing fancy labels to a holiday would land you in trouble if they aren’t authentic. An ex-prisoner explains why you should never travel with counterfeit or fake bags.
Owning luxury brands is a matter of pride for some, and others who can’t afford the original may consider the counterfeit assuming it wouldn’t hurt. But flaunting fake bags can get you arrested even if others can’t tell them apart from the real ones.
Why you shouldn’t travel with fake designer bags
Maybe you aren’t a supporter of counterfeits or replicas that imitate your favorite brand and haven’t bought any yourself. However, it’s possible that you may not know if the Gucci you received as a gift is real or not.
Whatever the reason is, you wouldn’t want to be seen with a fake designer bag at the airport or worse, take it through customs as you can face legal consequences for supporting counterfeit items.
As ex-prisoner and TikTok user, Jennifer Gomez points out, you wouldn’t want to travel to European countries, especially France and Italy with fake labels as you can get arrested.
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As if getting involved in legal matters in a foreign country isn’t bad enough, not being able to prove your bag is original makes matters worse. So don’t forget to bring the receipt for your luxury bag next time.
She claims big brands have “luxury securities” planted across cities and airports, to catch people carrying counterfeits. While the claim about secret agents lurking on the streets isn’t backed by other sources, the Embassy of France in Washington D.C, says fake bags can get you imprisoned.
Legal consequences of owning counterfeits
In France, imports or exports of counterfeit trademark goods can result in the following punishments. The penalties can also extend to people who own these items.
- Up to three years of imprisonment.
- The counterfeit goods will be seized, “as well as of the involved conveyances”.
- A fine equivalent of the value of the goods, but not more than twice its value.
People in the U.S. should be alarmed by a similar law against buying, selling, and owning counterfeits. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection notes the legal implications: “It is illegal to purchase counterfeit goods. Bringing them into the United States may result in civil or criminal penalties.”
It encourages people not to purchase fake goods as they support criminal activities such as forced labor and human trafficking. “Help to stop the funding of criminal enterprises by buying authentic goods,” the government website notes.
Jennifer Gomez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for theft-related crimes, according to Truly, which features an interview with her. She was released in 2020. She has a large social media following where she talks about her life in prison and uses her story to inspire others.
