Cops: Two men charged for selling counterfeit designer items in Dix Hills

Suffolk County Police have arrested two men on counterfeiting charges for selling thousands of dollars worth of bogus designer goods to undercover investigators in Dix Hills, authorities said Thursday.

Investigators arrested the pair at 2:40 p.m Wednesday during a transaction in the parking lot of the Long Island Welcome Center at Exit 51 of the Long Island Expressway, police said.

Akter Hossen, 43, and Lemon Chakma, 37, both of Jamaica, Queens, were each charged with first-degree trademark counterfeiting.

During the course of the investigation, undercover officers paid approximately $4,000 for items purported to be designer products from Armani, Burberry, Chanel, Coach, Gucci, Rolex, Ugg, Versace and Louis Vuitton, according to police. The retail value of authentic versions of those items totaled more than $100,000, police said.

Investigators seized counterfeit items from a vehicle including watches, perfume, sunglasses, handbags, wallets, scarves, gloves and backpacks.

Financial Crimes Unit detectives, with the assistance of The Allegiance Protection Group and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Financial Investigations and Money Laundering Bureau launched the investigation, police said.

Information on the suspects' scheduled arraignment Thursday was not immediately available.

By Deborah S. Morris

deborah.morris@newsday.comdsvmorris

Deborah Morris is a native Long Islander and covers the town of Huntington.