Two men have been arrested in connection with the sale of counterfeit sports caps.
In early January while conducting a routine inspection of the One Stop Liquor Mart, Georgetown, DE, Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement (DATE) officers saw a large amount of suspected counterfeit professional sports team hats.
Caps, whether counterfeit or not, are prohibited from being sold in liquor stores. .
During the month-long investigation, it was learned the products were distributed by Lizard Sunwear and counterfeit (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and NCAA) hats were being sold in multiple retail locations throughout the state.
It was also discovered that Lizard Sunwear is not licensed to conduct business in the State of Delaware. The investigation culminated with DATE Agents executing 14 search warrants at retail locations in New Castle, Kent and Sussex Counties. A total of 2,321 hats were seized with an estimated value of over $27,500.
BUSINESS LOCATIONS | ||
BUSINESS | ADDRESS | TOTAL HATS SEIZED |
One Stop Liquor Mart | 6 College Park Lane, Georgetown | 690 |
DOT Discount Cigarettes | 224 E. DuPont Highway, Millsboro | 59 |
DOT Discount Cigarettes | Mason Dixon Shopping Center, Selbyville | 55 |
DOT Discount Cigarettes | 20750 John J. Williams Highway, Lewes | 102 |
DOT Discount Cigarettes | 763 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach | 158 |
DOT Discount Cigarettes | Georgetown Plaza, Georgetown | 104 |
DOT Discount Cigarettes | 905 N. DuPont Blvd., Milford | 85 |
DOT Discount Cigarettes | 720 Townsend Blvd., Dover | 188 |
DOT Discount Cigarettes | 5502 S. DuPont Highway, Dover | 58 |
DOT Discount Cigarettes | 321 Independence Blvd., Dover | 43 |
DOT Discount Cigarettes | 47 E. Glenwood Ave., Smyrna | 48 |
Delaware Cigarette Outlet | 3100 Naamans Road, Wilmington | 114 |
Cigarette & Tobacco Outlet | 311 W. Ridge Road, Claymont | 105 |
7-11 | 202 South Main Street, Newark | 264 |
Lizard Sunwear employee | N/A | 248 |
Lizard Sunwear employee, Derrick Andricola, 56, of Turnersville, NJ, was charged with trademark counterfeiting when he was observed making a delivery of counterfeit hats to a Delaware retailer. Andricola was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court #2 on January 24 and released on $1,000 unsecured bond.
The owner of Lizard Sunwear, Richard Petty, 70, of Malvern, PA turned himself in on February 8, and was charged with felony trademark counterfeiting over 1000 items and failure to obtain a business license, an unclassified misdemeanor. Petty was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court #2 and released on a $4,500 unsecured bond.