At What Price Style?
by Abby Boettger

It's not hard to see why these groups are attracted to counterfeiting as a source of funding. It's an easy business with a high profit margin and a low chance of prosecution. Even when prosecuted, convictions carry relatively low fines and short prison sentences. Interpol's Ronald Noble has stated that law enforcement agencies have not generally investigated these types of crimes aggressively, and even then the focus is on seizing the goods and not on investigating who is profiting; ironic, considering that the war on terror is the current priority number 1 for American law enforcement authorities. The authorities spend money to prevent terrorism whilst citizens spend money to purchase counterfeit goods—inadvertently funding the same organizations the authorities are fighting.

Is ignorance bliss? A survey conducted by Kessler International, a top counterfeiting investigation firm, revealed that the prevalence of counterfeit goods is at an all-time high, and Americans are buying knockoffs in record numbers. Of the total number of people surveyed, 72 percent said they would consider purchasing counterfeit products, such as sunglasses, handbags and watches, if the price was low enough. When those surveyed were asked if they would still buy these goods if they knew the profits may support organized crime or terrorism, the number only dropped to 55 percent.

Maybe the facts just didn't have time to settle in. People just don't make the connection that counterfeiting is stealing. An individual who wouldn't think twice about buying an obviously fake purse from a street vendor—and would then gloat about what a deal it was—probably would never consider shoplifting from a store. However, the existence of these connections should hardly be surprising. Counterfeiting is a crime . No person of reasonable intelligence can expect that being party to a crime will lead to hugs and puppies.

In a statement to the United States Congress, Noble testified, “There are enough examples now of the funding of terrorist groups in this way for us to worry about the threat to public safety. We must take preventative measures now.” I think I'll take Noble's advice and initiate my own preventative measures—I'll bypass Canal and head straight to Saks instead. Or, better yet, maybe I'll just stick to the purse I already have.

Abby is currently interning at Pop Sustainability and will be starting graduate school for International Affairs at George Washington University in the Fall

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