This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

Counterfeit designer clothing, medicines and other products are made and sold around the world. American investigators say the counterfeit goods industry is bigger business than the illegal drug trade. And they say anyone buying such goods could be providing support to other criminal activities.

Counterfeit goods may look like the real thing. But they are only copies made without the approval of the business or individual with rights to the original product.

Many fake goods from East Asia enter the United States through the port of Los Angeles, California. People looking for low prices on goods go to a part of Los Angeles called Santee Alley. It is a place where counterfeit goods are sold. Clothing, sunglasses, watches and toys fill the many small stores in the area.

Anita Grey has been going to Santee Alley for years. She says she would never buy fake designer products, but she has seen them there.

A file photo of counterfeit designer products seized in a raid by federal officials.

ANITA GREY: "I know years ago when I come down, you would see it. And now, you don't see it at all."

Investigator Kris Buckner says there is a reason people do not see counterfeit goods openly displayed at Santee Alley anymore: police have repeatedly raided stores that carry fake designer goods. As a result, people who sell them are much more careful.

Kris Buckner says they will offer buyers the fake goods, and take them to a storage area where the counterfeits are hidden. He says the estimated five hundred billion dollar a year counterfeiting industry is bigger than the drug trade. He says street gangs, international organized crime groups and even terrorists are involved with counterfeiting.

KRIS BUCKNER: "Then you have groups that have ties to Hezbollah, Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas that have engaged in this activity. The problem is it's a perfect opportunity for these guys to make money. You got to look at the global marketplace. It's estimated that 10 percent of the goods you'll see out there are estimated to be counterfeit."

At the port of Los Angeles, police seize counterfeit clothing, prescription medications, electronics and cigarettes. Investigators say large amounts of the fake and stolen designer products come from China and enter through American ports in large shipping containers. More than fourteen million shipping containers arrive in Los Angeles every year. Police are able to inspect less than one percent of them.

Police say there are ways to tell if a product is counterfeit. Look at the kind of store where the product is sold, and whether the price seems too low. If it is, it is probably a fake.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report. You can see a video version of this report at our website 51voa.com, where you can also read, listen to and learn American English, and leave comments on our stories. I'm Christopher Cruise.

Contributing: Elizabeth Lee

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。

Counterfeit designer clothing, medicines and other products are made and sold around the world. American investigators say the counterfeit goods industry is bigger business than the illegal drug trade. And they say anyone buying such goods could be providing support to other criminal activities.

假冒名牌服装、药品和其它产品被生产出来并销往世界各地。美国调查人员表示，假货行业的规模超过了非法毒品交易。他们还表示，任何人购买这类假货都可能是为其它犯罪活动提供支持。

Counterfeit goods may look like the real thing. But they are only copies made without the approval of the business or individual with rights to the original product.

假货可能看上去像真品。但它们只是未经对原产品拥有权利的企业和个人批准生产出来的复制品。

Many fake goods from East Asia enter the United States through the port of Los Angeles, California. People looking for low prices on goods go to a part of Los Angeles called Santee Alley. It is a place where counterfeit goods are sold. Clothing, sunglasses, watches and toys fill the many small stores in the area.

许多来自东亚的假货通过加州洛杉矶港口进入美国。寻找更低价格商品的人们去往洛杉矶的圣提街(Santee Alley)，这是假货的销售地点。服装、太阳镜、手表和玩具堆满了该地区的许多小商店。

Anita Grey has been going to Santee Alley for years. She says she would never buy fake designer products, but she has seen them there.

安妮塔·格蕾多年来一直去圣提街。她说她从来不买假冒名牌产品，但她在那里有看到。

ANITA GREY: "I know years ago when I come down, you would see it. And now, you don't see it at all."

格蕾：“几年前我来这里还能看到(假冒产品)，但现在根本见不着了。”

Investigator Kris Buckner says there is a reason people do not see counterfeit goods openly displayed at Santee Alley anymore: police have repeatedly raided stores that carry fake designer goods. As a result, people who sell them are much more careful.

调查员克里斯.巴克纳(Kris Buckner)说，人们在圣提街再也看不到假货公开展示，那是因为警方多次搜查销售假冒名牌产品的店铺，于是店主们都更加小心了。

Kris Buckner says they will offer buyers the fake goods, and take them to a storage area where the counterfeits are hidden. He says the estimated five hundred billion dollar a year counterfeiting industry is bigger than the drug trade. He says street gangs, international organized crime groups and even terrorists are involved with counterfeiting.

巴克纳表示，店主会向买家提供假货，带他们假货的藏身处(交易)。他说，预计假货行业每年规模达到5000亿美元，超过了毒品交易。街头帮派、国际有组织犯罪集团甚至恐怖分子都参与其中。

KRIS BUCKNER: "Then you have groups that have ties to Hezbollah, Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas that have engaged in this activity. The problem is it's a perfect opportunity for these guys to make money. You got to look at the global marketplace. It's estimated that 10 percent of the goods you'll see out there are estimated to be counterfeit."

巴克纳：“这些组织和涉及假冒产品活动的真主党、穆斯林兄弟会以及哈马斯有关系。问题是对这些人来说，这是个绝好的赚钱机会。放眼全球市场，预计10%的产品是假货。”

At the port of Los Angeles, police seize counterfeit clothing, prescription medications, electronics and cigarettes. Investigators say large amounts of the fake and stolen designer products come from China and enter through American ports in large shipping containers. More than fourteen million shipping containers arrive in Los Angeles every year. Police are able to inspect less than one percent of them.

在洛杉矶港，警察会查封假冒的服装、处方药、电子产品和香烟。调查人员表示，大部分假冒和剽窃的产品来自中国，并通过大型海运集装箱进入美国港口。每年抵达洛杉矶的海运集装箱超过1400万个。警察能够检查的不到1%。

Police say there are ways to tell if a product is counterfeit. Look at the kind of store where the product is sold, and whether the price seems too low. If it is, it is probably a fake.

警方表示，有办法辨别一种产品是否为假冒。看看这类产品在哪销售，以及价格看上去是否太低。如果是的话，它可能就是假货。