Fake Watches Fund Organised Crime

[bikemonster]

Forgive me, but "Says who?"

Don't get me wrong, I am not in favour of fake watches. No high moral horses, I just think that they are a dumb idea.

But I regularly see the claim made that fake watches fund crime. Is there any evidence for this other than self-perpetuating myth? Is there really worse crime going on than stealing somebody else's brand equity? Again, that is not a justification for making or buying fake watches, I just question whether there is any other crime connected with the fakery.

Let rip!

James

[toohuge]

Well apart from the fact that producing fake goods is a crime, the view that I take is that the type of factories and conditions that the people work in to produce these goods are well below human rights standards. This in itself can be classed as a crime.

It's a similar argument for pirate DVD's and people 'illegally' downloading music. There are bigger issues out there in the world.

Lets open up the pit

[Revs_Addiction]

Counterfeits, whether it be DVD/CD's, clothing, luxury goods, and including watches, will always attract organised crime as it's a low risk, high profit crime.

[deejuic]

Here's a link from Interpol that addresses the replica/counterfeit items link to organized crime.

http://www.interpol.int/Public/FinancialCrime/Inte...

[RobCh]

So if it's that clear-cut, and all that wicked, how come the internet sites blatantly advertising fake (sorry, replica) watches are still going strong and haven't been closed down by the polis? Or Interpolis?

[bikemonster]

deejuic said:

Here's a link from Interpol that addresses the replica/counterfeit items link to organized crime.

http://www.interpol.int/Public/FinancialCrime/Inte...

That document, while hosted on an Interpol site, appears to have been published by a manufacturers' group. Hardly a disinterested party. The definition of "organised crime" included in the doc is one which would mean that a group of people who got together to produce knock-off watches would constitute organised crime.

For clarity, I am not saying that it's OK to produce knock-off watches (or anything else for that matter), but the oft-stated position that knock-off watches fund organised crime is deliberately framed to sound as sinister as possible.

[andy_s]

I think nowadays the phrase 'funding terrorism' is more fashionable.

[lowdrag]

Counterfeit huh. I guess that I'd best have my C and D types destroyed then.

[bikemonster]

lowdrag said:

Counterfeit huh. I guess that I'd best have my C and D types destroyed then.

Absolutely!

Especially if you have ever lent them to Osama bin Laden.

[glazbagun]

I doubt you can go to your bank manager and ask for a loan to start up a counterfeit watch/luxury goods business. You'll need another source of capital. I'm not sold on the whole Piracy= Organized crime, since theres no profit in giving stuff away for free except trojans. But if you can make a half decent fake of an expensive watch and sell it for less than half the price, then tidy profits are to be had.

A Rolex-owning pal of mine also has a fake Sub he bought for £80 with Sapphire crystal (including the Rolex etching in the glass) that looks pretty much spot on. Only giveaway is the ETA movement. I have no idea how they could make that for £80! Good deal, though, I've seen more expensive fakes that are woeful, including a "Breguet" tourbillon based on the chinese movement the BHI used for their anniversary watch.