Miami-Dade, FL: A multi-million dollar counterfeit scheme has been swept across Miami streets, with 52-year-old Jorge Gomero facing charges for allegedly trafficking in counterfeit cigar labels and various stolen products. After investigating Gomero’s store El Baratón, where a variety of stolen products and fake cigar packaging were on display, the Miami-Dade Police Department slapped him with charges of grand theft and counterfeiting private labels.
Gomero would steal goods from big stores and sell them under the guise of legitimate commerce, with the help of a snitch who was in the clutches of the law. The story becomes a web of deceit and profit as detectives listen to the sage-tales revealed by the snitch.
Detectives dressed as undercover agents posed as Gomero and sold what they said were stolen goods, including new clothing and health and beauty aids. According to Miami-Dade Police Officer Andre Martin, Gomero fell for the scam and bought the items for around $200, even though they were worth a thousand dollars or more.
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With 4,500 false cigar boxes and a plethora of bogus labels included, the bust revealed a thriving backroom enterprise with a street worth over $1 million.
“The cheapest” (El Baratón) is now notorious for selling counterfeit cigar accessories and other high-risk products to its customers. In a statement obtained by WSVN, Martin warned of the dangers that these counterfeit goods posed to unwary buyers, citing the possibility of various toxic substances (such as hair, insect remains, and formaldehyde).
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It is unclear if Gomero’s wife, who is frequently seen at the scene during police visits, will be caught up in the dragnet as the legal process continues. Gomero was taken away to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and his bond was set at $30,000. According to Local10, the police are still actively investigating the complex network of retail theft, and they are expecting to make more arrests soon.
Authorities are urging the public to stay wary as the investigation continues, saying that deals that look too good to be true are usually just the fake deals.