A North York senior faces 43 charges after police seized as much as $7 million worth of counterfeit products from his home.
About 45,000 pieces of counterfeit jewelry -- copies of high-end pieces of jewelry -- were found, investigators said Monday in a news release.
Authorities estimated the retail value of the goods is between $5 million and $7 million.
Police say the suspect was operating a jewelry wholesale business out of his basement in the Don Mills Road and Van Horne Avenue area.
After conducting a joint investigation with a Toronto-based law firm, police in 33 Division executed a search warrant on the address and seized counterfeit jewelry, purses and wallets.
Investigators say they found copies of products from high-end designers that include Chanel, Gucci, Juicy Couture, Tiffany, Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton.
Police say they also seized $804,930 was taken from the home, funds they allege were related to the sale of the counterfeit products.
Det. Sgt. Ed Dzingala told CTV.ca that investigators suspect the business did not serve individuals but rather supplied middlemen.
He said the investigation is continuing and police are trying to track down who the products were sold to and who provided the products in the first place.
Fu-Ten Huang, 65, is charged with:
- Eight counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- 13 counts of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- 21 counts of passing off of wares
- Possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000
He is scheduled to appear in court on April 11.
