T H E N AT I O N | F E A T U R E
The Hustle A Seller’s Story on Building a Fake Goods Empire By Lars James Hamer
10 |SEPTEMBER 2021
China has its fair share of fake goods. The global trade for fake goods is a USD465 billion-dollar industry, and the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong make up a staggering 85% of the market. To add a little perspective, the fake goods market is a bigger contributor to the global economy than the illegal drug trade.
We’re not just talking Louis Vuitton handbags, Armani suits and Yeezy boots. We’ve seen fake products ranging from Legos to frying pans and kitchen knives to cars. And recently, there have been reports of fake medicine and even food being snatched up by the authorities.
