Bargain Corner owner Haim Akiva "wasn't surprised" when law enforcement showed up, said Michael Dusenberry, an ICE group supervisor who was on the Dallas raid. Nancy Kratzer, the deputy special agent in charge of the Dallas ICE office, says having inventory seized is often viewed as "a cost of doing business" in counterfeiting, much as it is for drug dealers. But Akiva may have a tougher fight ahead. Dallas sheriff’s investigator Raul Reyna says the convicted felon, on probation since 2006 for selling counterfeit designer clothing and sneakers, had guns in his top drawer and enough counterfeit merchandise to constitute a second-degree felony. Akiva, 71, could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He could not be reached for comment. Neasley, the former knockoff coach bags shopper, says she knows quality now. "For some, it may be hard to understand saving (up) for a handbag, but obviously they haven’t touched or seen a Gucci or Prada," says Neasley. "If I choose to spend a small fortune of my hard-earned money on a handbag, I will, and it definitely will not be a fake."
Related thematic articles: businesses of discount Louis Vuitton handbags, Gucci handbag Pt. Gucci handbag