Photo: Recovered evidence
DUBLIN — A woman faces charges for allegedly selling counterfeit trademark products and possession of cannabis for sale. The suspect was arrested following a sting operation, which resulted in the recovery of more than 3,000 fake trademark items and illicit cannabis.
An anonymous tip prompted the Dublin Police Department to launch an investigation concerning trademark counterfeiting. Undercover officers arranged a meeting with the suspect at a storage facility located in Dublin.
It seems a wholesale operation was conducted inside a storage unit associated with 40-year-old Surin Phat. The officers purchased handbags with counterfeit trademarks from her at that facility on May 17.
Search warrants were executed the following day at the storage unit and at the suspect’s Dublin residence. In addition to products with counterfeit trademarks, investigators recovered sales ledgers and more than $12,000 in cash.
Dublin police estimated the resale value of the recovered items exceeds $100,000. Phat purportedly pocketed thousands of dollars weekly from sales of products with fake trademarks.
That’s not all. Inside her residence, investigators located about 20 pounds of cannabis apparently processed for sales. Phat was arrested on May 18 when she returned home to her residence, located near Dougherty Road.
On May 20, three charges were filed against Phat by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. She is charged with two felonies for counterfeit of registered mark PC 350(A). Her third charge is a misdemeanor, possession of marijuana for sale HS 11359(B).
