Kiosk Operators in Music City Mall in Odessa Plead Guilty in Counterfeiting Case

In Midland, 41-year-old Raja Zafar Iqbal and 50-year-old Javed Iqbal Raja of Odessa, Texas, face up to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to trafficking in counterfeit goods, announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Dennis Ulrich, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Douglas E. Lindquist, El Paso Division.

Appearing before United States Magistrate Judge David Counts this morning, Raja Zafar Iqbal admitted to trafficking in counterfeit goods from January 2001 to September 2013. According to court records, Iqbal, with assistance from Raja between November 2008 and September 2013, operated Music City Mall kiosks Gold-N-Silver, ICEE Jewelry, Jewel Time, Pretty-N-Sassy, Famous Stars and Straps, and Right Jewelry. During that time, the defendants knowingly sold counterfeit jewelry, watches, buckles, keychains, lanyards, and other items. The counterfeit goods bore trademarks identical to or substantially indistinguishable from trademarks used by Angry Birds, Fox Head, Monster, Nike, Playboy, Polo Ralph Lauren, Chanel, and Juicy Couture. The defendants admitted that they were not authorized to sell or distribute any of the goods bearing the counterfeit trademarks.

On September 5, 2013, federal agents arrested the defendants and executed search warrants at the kiosks, where they seized over 300 counterfeit items.

Both defendants are currently on bond pending sentencing. No sentencing date has been scheduled. Charges are still pending against a third defendant in this case, 33-year-old Muhammad Asif Raza, formerly of Odessa.

This investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney Austin Berry is prosecuting these cases on behalf of the government.