A southwest suburban business owner has been charged with selling counterfeit Vicks products to stores.
Carlos Barraza, 23, faces one count of violation of the counterfeit trademark act, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.
In April, a private investigator working with Procter & Gamble contacted sheriff’s police to provide a tip that Dos Hermanos, a business based in Bedford Park, had been selling counterfeit Vicks products to stores in Illinois and Wisconsin, according to the sheriff’s office.
On Nov. 16, sheriff’s police executed a search warrant at Dos Hermanos and found more than 2,000 counterfeit Vicks items, according to the sheriff’s office.
Barraza, a Burbank resident, was released on his own recognizance after his bond hearing Saturday at the Cook County courthouse, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Consumers should be cautious about buying branded goods from outlets that are unfamiliar,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
“Buy branded goods from sources that you know and trust and where your consumer rights will be protected. Consumers who suspect an item is counterfeit should contact the retailer where they made the purchase.”
