Journal & Topics Media Group

2 Arrested In Counterfeit Sports Apparel Probe


June Lee (left), Hyung Gon Kim (right)

Thousands of counterfeit items were discovered in a Des Plaines building as part of an investigation into the manufacturing of counterfeit sporting goods, police said.

Wheeling police said the investigation involving multiple agencies culminated in the execution of a search warrant at 1229 Rand Rd., Des Plaines, on Tuesday, Feb. 11. According to police, the probe was triggered by the “suspicion” that a Wheeling factory was producing counterfeit licensed sports apparel in the likenesses of multiple professional franchises.

During the investigation, Wheeling police said the focus turned to the Des Plaines location, where the search warrant turned up three large “highly sophisticated” machines used to mass-produce customized merchandise.

Out of the more than 125,000 counterfeit sports apparel items recovered, 40,000 were counterfeit trademarked merchandise from NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA franchises with an estimated retail value of over $2.5 million, police said.

The investigation resulted in two arrests: June Lee, 54, of the 400 block of Castlewood, Buffalo Grove, and Hyung Kim, 63, of the 17000 block of Braewick, Gurnee, were taken into custody and charged by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office with one count each of Violation of the Counterfeit Trademark Act, a Class 1 felony.

The suspects were taken to a bond hearing at the Rolling Meadows courthouse.

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