If at first you don't succeed... A bill proposing jail time or a stiff fine for purchasing counterfeit goods originally proposed in 2011 is getting a new push by New York councilwoman Margaret Chin.
Shopping for fake Louis Vuittons or Chanel bags on Canal street in Chinatown has become a requisite tourist activity. Only now you could go to jail for it. City councilwoman Margaret Chin, who represents the Chinatown district, is introducing a bill this Thursday that proposes harsh punishment for shoppers caught purchasing counterfeits, the New York Post is reporting. Under Chin's bill, that fake LV could cost you $1,000 in fines (still not quite the cost of some of the real deals) or up to a year in prison. Sound harsh? That's the point.