Watches, vapor pens seized in Boardwalk shop counterfeit bust

Authorities have seized more than $10,000 in allegedly counterfeit merchandise from a Seaside Heights Boardwalk shop.

The raid occurred Aug. 29 at In The Cut, located at 216 Boardwalk, the New Jersey Attorney General's Division of Consumer Affairs announced Friday.

The merchandise confiscated included 154 suspected counterfeit watches sold under the brand names Rolex, Burberry, Gucci, Michael Kors and Casio G-Shock, with posted prices ranging from $49.99 to $209.99, authorities said.

Investigators said they also seized 37 vapor pens sold under the Snoop Dogg G-Pen brand name, each with a displayed retail price of $129.99.

Other suspected counterfeit items included so-called Ray Ban sunglasses and gloves stamped with National Football League sports logos, according to officials.

In total, the confiscated goods have an estimated value of $10,782.

Seaside Heights Police on Tuesday arrested In The Cut owner Georgios K. Kokotis, who is charged with distributing counterfeit goods, as is manager Ahamad Elkady.

Store clerk Kwabenah Ayeh, 21, has been charged with a disorderly persons offense for allegedly giving cigarettes to a minor at the store, investigators said.

The Seaside Heights Code Enforcement Office revoked In The Cut's business license, and the store remained shuttered Saturday.

The arrests and seizures came as part of the Division of Consumer Affairs' Safe Summer 2014 task force, a collaboration between various law enforcement and regulatory agencies.

Acting New Jersey Attorney General John J. Hoffman, in a statement, said the effort "has promoted a safe and family-friendly atmosphere on New Jersey's boardwalks by finding and eradicating problems, from mercantile violations to the sale of contraband items such as illegal drugs, banned toys, and counterfeit goods."

The initiative has already resulted in the arrests this summer of at least four boardwalk store owners and employees for allegedly selling synthetic marijuana, prohibited weapons and unlicensed novelty contact lenses.