Feds seize more than $1BILLION in fake handbags, shoes and clothes from a Manhattan storage facility in one of the largest counterfeit raids in US History

Authorities have seized more than $1billion worth of fake items from storage units in New York City making it one of the largest counterfeit busts in American history. 

Around 219,000 fake items, including handbags, shoes, clothes and other accessories, were recovered following a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations agents and the New York City Police Department.

The items were worth more than $1billlion, officials said.  

Adama Sow, 38, and Abdulai Jalloh, 48, were arrested in connection with the operation, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday. 

The pair allegedly ran the scheme out of a storage facility in Manhattan from January through to October.

Photos show the units were filled to the brim with thousands of counterfeit products from a variety of luxury brands.

The fake goods worth $1.03billion were recently seized from storage units at Gotham Mini Storage.

Images released by the US Attorney’s Office show the units controlled by Jalloh heavily stocked with clothes, shoes and handbags.

Officers seized 50,000 items with a street value of over $237million.  

The units controlled by Sow had dozens of unopened boxes lining the floor that amounted to 83,000 items worth over $502millon. 

In another room, clothes were hanging off pipes coming down from the ceiling and were surrounded by a sea of counterfeit handbags. 

'As alleged, the defendants used a Manhattan storage facility as a distribution center for massive amounts of knock-off designer goods,' US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement.

'The seizures announced today consist of merchandise with over a billion dollars in estimated retail value, the largest-ever seizure of counterfeit goods in U.S. history.'

Prosecutors have also accused Jalloh, of Manhattan, of selling fake goods out of another off-site location in the city. 

He and Sow, of Queens, have been charged with trafficking in counterfeit goods and could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted. 

NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said: 'The trafficking of counterfeit goods is anything but a victimless crime because it harms legitimate businesses, governments, and consumers.

'Today’s indictments show how seriously the NYPD and our federal partners take this offense.'

HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: 'Today's groundbreaking announcement underscores the unwavering commitment of HSI New York in the fight against intellectual property theft and serves as a testament to the dedication of our team and partner agencies, who have tirelessly pursued justice, culminating in the largest-ever seizure of this kind.'