North York home searched, man faces charges

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A man was arrested Thursday after police executed a search warrant at a North York home and seized counterfeit merchandise worth more than $5 million.

“The occupant of the home had converted his basement into a showroom,” Det. Sgt. Ed Dzingala alleged during a Monday afternoon news conference at the 33 Division station in North York. “We believe we got one of the big fish in the pond.” 

Police allegedly seized a large quantity of counterfeit jewelry, purses, handbags and wallets when they executed a Criminal Code search warrant at a home near Van Horne Avenue and Shaughnessy Boulevard.

Dzingala alleged a suspect was a “wholesaler for costume jewlery” for a number of years. “He imports a lot of costume jewelry from China,” he said. 

The seized jewelry and merchandise were allegedly counterfeit copies of products manufactured by companies such as Chanel, Disney, Gucci, Harley Davidson, Rocawear, Nike, Baby Phat, Juicy Couture, Tiffany, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hello Kitty, Major League Baseball, Playboy, Apple Bottom and Betty Boop.

More than $800,000 cash was also seized.

The investigation, which began several weeks ago, was conducted by 33 Division’s major crime unit and the law firm Kestenberg Siegel Lipkus LLP.

“The legitimate companies, many of whom we represent, cannot compete with counterfeiters who do this. And in fact, they can’t go after them because they’re not the police,” said Lorne Lipkus of the law firm. “This seizure is the largest seizure of counterfeit jewelry in Canadian history to my knowledge. ... I’ve never seen an operation of this magnitude.”

Lipkus alleged many of the factories that are producing counterfeit products in Asia employ children.

“That’s what people are buying into when they’re in fact selling and buying counterfeit merchandise of this type.”

Fu-Ten “Victor” Huang, 65, has been charged with eight counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, 13 counts of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, 21 counts of passing off of wares and one count of possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000.

He is scheduled to appear in court on April 11.