[New York Diary] How Did Manhattan's Streets Become a Counterfeit Black Market in December?

Illegal Street Vendors Take Over Manhattan
Counterfeit Luxury Goods Flood Tourist Hotspots
Enforcement Gaps Allow Black Market to Flourish

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Seulgina Jo] Ahead of the Christmas holidays, illegal street vendors have noticeably increased on the streets of Manhattan, New York. Some areas crowded with tourists, such as near Rockefeller Center and Broadway, have effectively turned into black markets for counterfeit luxury goods. Illegal street vendors displaying fake Louis Vuitton, fake Prada, and fake Dior occupy nearly half of the road, so much so that if you look away for a moment, counterfeit items might be kicked at your feet.

Last weekend afternoon, while walking just three blocks along 6th Avenue in Manhattan to Radio City, I encountered at least 15 vendors. It was confusing to see such blatant counterfeit solicitation in the heart of New York, a developed country. Even in South Korea, which has suffered from counterfeit goods, such solicitation is now difficult in street stalls or regular shops. Moreover, NYPD officers were standing not far away to control the crowds.

The counterfeit bags and wallets lined up on thin blankets on the street were truly shabby. Would they even sell? While watching briefly, a tourist bought a medium-sized fake Dior Book Tote bag for $50 and left. Right next to the vendor, a woman who appeared to be European and the seller began haggling and eventually raised their voices. Perhaps the price offered was too low for purchase, as the vendor cursed and chased the woman away. About 3 meters away, she turned around and shouted into the crowd, "Just wait and see. No one will buy such a scam product from you at that price." These scenes unfolded within just five minutes.

Ms. Celine, an office worker living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and commuting to Midtown, said, "There were counterfeit vendors before, but never to this extent," adding, "It seems that in recent weeks, illegal street vendors have rapidly gathered in this area. The buyers are also a problem. They just buy without knowing what they are purchasing," shaking her head.

It is said that illegal counterfeit street vendors have only recently started to spread on the streets of Manhattan. Before the pandemic, the main counterfeit black market was Chinatown. There was a saying that if black plastic bags were lined up on the streets of Chinatown, they contained counterfeit luxury goods. Within just a few years, counterfeit transactions began openly taking place in the middle of the street in Midtown Broadway, 6th Avenue, and even on 5th Avenue, known as the "luxury street." Ms. Summer Kim, a Korean housewife in her 30s from New Jersey, chuckled, saying, "5th Avenue has the world's top luxury boutiques gathered, but it's strange that counterfeit goods are openly sold on the street in front of them."

Weakened enforcement authority is considered a direct background for this. Originally, arresting illegal street vendors and cracking down on counterfeit goods were NYPD's authority. However, in 2019, NYPD's aggressive use of handcuffs during illegal street vendor crackdowns led to strong public backlash, and enforcement authority was transferred to New York City officials. Without arrest powers like the police, city officials' crackdowns inevitably had limitations. As a result, illegal counterfeit street vendors have flourished in this gap.

These illegal street vendors, aiming to capitalize on the year-end tourist boom, usually start "work" one by one around 3 p.m. and continue until night. On this day as well, the counterfeit solicitation by numerous illegal street vendors clearly crossed the line. They not only forced counterfeit goods on passersby and shouted, but also obstructed pedestrian traffic by mixing with large crowds gathered to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. However, the NYPD, stripped of enforcement authority, only watched. The damage was borne entirely by tourists, citizens, and nearby merchants.