Italy: Fake Goods Carry Hefty Price; Thuggery on the Rise in Rome

By Larry Habegger | Permalink | No Comments | June 9th, 2010 | Trackback

It’s hard to resist a bargain, especially if it strolls right up to you on the beach, but an Austrian tourist discovered the true cost of buying a fake Louis Vuitton purse from a vendor when she was hit with a 1,000 euro ($1,195) fine for buying a $13 knockoff. The beach vendors, often Senegalese itinerants, are noted for hassling beachgoers, and authorities throughout Italy are trying to discourage the trade by reducing the demand through such fines. The trouble is, many tourists are unaware of the severe fines for making such purchases. This incident took place at Jesolo near Venice. In other news, an assault by far-right thugs on a gay man leaving a bar near the Colosseum in Rome was the eighth such incident in nine months. The violence, often fueled by alcohol, has city officials considering a ban on drinking in piazzas.

Home » Europe, Italy, Scams/Crime, Urban violence

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