Police Bust Cheonan 'Counterfeit Luxury' Live Broadcast Group, Seize 7,300 Items

Counterfeit Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Other Brands Worth 20 Billion Won Seized
28 Billion Won in Counterfeit Goods Sold via Late-Night SNS Live Broadcasts Over One Year; Four Family Members Arrested

A group that had been selling counterfeit products of well-known brands such as Louis Vuitton and Dior via SNS live broadcasts in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, has been apprehended by the police.

The police raided the office where the live broadcast was underway, seizing approximately 7,300 counterfeit items including bags, wallets, and watches, and arrested four family members involved in the sales operation.

The Criminal Investigation Team of the South Chungcheong Provincial Police announced on March 11 that four individuals, including Ms. A (a woman in her 30s), were apprehended on charges of violating the Trademark Act, and about 7,300 counterfeit items were confiscated.

According to the police, the seized items consisted of 15 categories such as bags, wallets, watches, and clothing imitating famous brands like Louis Vuitton and Dior, with an estimated value of approximately 20 billion won based on genuine products.

Ms. A was responsible for selling the counterfeit products through SNS live broadcasts, while her husband, Mr. B (a man in his 40s), handled the delivery of goods. Ms. A’s parents, Mr. C and Ms. D, assisted with sales, and it was revealed that the entire family was involved in the crime.

The group reportedly received large quantities of counterfeit goods from an acquaintance and hosted live broadcasts three times a week during late-night hours, selling to customers nationwide.

They also employed meticulous methods to evade police detection, such as using different addresses for delivery and returns and conducting transactions exclusively via SNS chat.

In February, the police received information that “counterfeit goods are being sold via live broadcasts,” and through investigation and tracking, identified the storage site. They then obtained a search and seizure warrant, raided the office during a live broadcast, apprehended the group, and secured a large number of counterfeit products.

According to the police investigation, Ms. A began the criminal operation after learning about live broadcast counterfeit sales while struggling with excessive debt and financial difficulties.

It was found that, despite knowing the goods were counterfeit, Ms. A received and sold them nationwide for about one year from January of the previous year, with total sales amounting to approximately 2.8 billion won.

Most of the criminal proceeds were used for living expenses and debt repayment.

The police are conducting further analysis of the criminal proceeds based on the seized sales records and plan to pursue pre-indictment confiscation of the related profits.

A police official stated, “The distribution of counterfeit goods is a serious crime that not only constitutes a simple trademark infringement but also undermines fair competition and infringes on consumer trust and rights. We will continue to strengthen investigations into counterfeit sales organizations operating through SNS live broadcasts and other channels.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.