RCMP seize 4,500 counterfeit hair irons, fashion accessories, in swoop
Published Tuesday January 29th, 2008 MONTREAL - Most people think of money and DVDs when they think of counterfeits. But hair irons? RCMP in the Quebec City region announced Tuesday they have seized 4,500 of the counterfeit devices. Cpl. Richard Faucher acknowledged hair-straightening irons aren t the usual fakes seen by the federal force. “But we have to keep in mind that everything can be counterfeit,” he said in a telephone interview.
“Flat irons are one of them and the specific thing about it is that it could be dangerous for the public as well. “The electrical connection inside, it s kind of cheap so it could malfunction and it could cause a fire.” Faucher said the RCMP had not had any reports of such incidents but the risk is enough to raise a concern. The flat irons, which are used in hairdressing to straighten curly hair, were seized Jan. 15 in Charny, Que., after an investigation that started in March 2007.
The Texas-based Farouk Systems Group had complained that counterfeit flat irons were being sold under their brand after they examined a supposed Farouk iron that was returned by a dissatisfied customer. The customer had bought the iron from an Internet site. Others also came forward saying their irons had conked out shortly after they started using them.
The RCMP investigation led them to a business in Charny, near Quebec City, where they found 3,500 counterfeit Farouk flat irons and 1,000 others under the brand of the British company GHD, which does not sell in Canada. The Mounties also impounded clothes, purses and other fashion accessories falsely branded as Gucci and Chanel, about $19,000 in cash, a small amount of marijuana and nine iPods. One man was arrested and has been given a summons to appear in court soon.