Counterfeit Triangle (Canal Street area)
The “Counterfeit Triangle” area of Manhattan that sells counterfeit merchandise is bounded by Canal, Walker, Baxter and Centre Streets. The name “Counterfeit Alley” had been used in 2006, but “Counterfeit Triangle” was used in news stories in February 2008.
New York (NY) Times
City Agents Shut Down 32 Vendors of Fake Items
By CHRISTINE HAUSER
Published: February 27, 2008
It is a vibrant fixture of Lower Manhattan commerce. Tourists jostle for space at Canal Street’s stores and sidewalk kiosks, bargaining with vendors over sparkly watches, handbags and perfumes with fake designer labels that are sold at a fraction of the cost of the genuine item.
But over the past five weeks, like the goods that are not what they appear to be, undercover police officers and city agents fanned out and pretended to be real shoppers in an area the mayor called the “Counterfeit Triangle” — which roughly includes Canal, Walker, Baxter and Centre Streets. They picked up items that included a Prada handbag for $40; a Patek Philippe watch and a Rolex for $80, and two pairs of Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses for $18.
On Tuesday, 32 shops were closed down, a civil lawsuit was filed against the property owner — the estate of Vincent Terranova — and more than $1 million worth of counterfeit goods were confiscated as a result of the more than 40 undercover shopping sprees.
Gothamist
February 26, 2008
Bloomberg Doesn’t Want You to Fake Purse It
Nothing says press conference like raiding a 32 stores in what the city dubs “Counterfeit Triangle” and hauling away over a $1 million worth of brand-name products. The raid, taking down stores in the area bounded by Canal Street, Walker Street and Centre Street, occurred in the early morning, with cops using bolt-cutters to gain entry and tractor-trailers to take the haul away Coach, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbanna, Dior, Prada, Rolex, Fendi, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Dora the Explorer and Oakley merchandise.