Miami– A couple of jewelry who operated in Florida was arrested for allegedly cheating a customer with more than $ 70,000 through the sale of three counterfeit Rolex watches.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s office identified suspects such as Jonathan Parra, 37, and Paula Sánchez Zapata, 33. Both face charges for organized fraud and a scheme to disappoint for 50,000 dollars or more.
The arrest occurred at his residence in Cape Coral, where the authorities found additional evidence related to the case, and now they expect their extradition to Miami-Dade County to face justice.
Pool Delata Fraud
The deception came to light in an unexpected way. The victim, Iran García, discovered the alleged scam when he noticed that one of the luxury watches was filled with water after having been in a pool.
This fact raised suspicions immediately, since authentic rolex watches are known for water resistance.
A spokesman for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s office explained that, after this incident, the victim took the clocks to a certified jeweler, who confirmed that the three pieces were falsifications.
In addition, the expert revealed that one of the watches, sold as new, really had more than a decade of antiquity.
Capture of those involved
After discovering the fraud, the victim tried to contact Parra and Sánchez to obtain an explanation, but the couple cut all communication, blocking their telephone number and profiles in social networks. This evasive behavior confirmed the suspicions of the victim, who proceeded to denounce the facts.
The detectives of the Miami-Dade Organized Crime Squad began an investigation that led them to the residence of the suspects in Cape Coral.
The search warrant that resulted in the couple’s arrest was carried out with the collaboration of the Local Police Department.
Called to other possible victims
The authorities expressed concern about the degree of sophistication of this network of scams and stressed that the suspects presented themselves as trusted jewelers, mobilized in high -end vehicles and built their reputation through mouth to mouth.
Due to the time the couple had been operating in the business, the police believe that there could be more victims.
Therefore, they called on the community so that anyone who has made transactions with Parra and Sánchez verifies the authenticity of the acquired articles and denounces any irregularity.
Global problem
The watch industry faces a massive falsification crisis. According to data from the Swiss watch industry federation, more than 40 million falsified watches enter the market annually, compared to only 26 million authentic watches.
This problem generates losses of between 700 and 800 million dollars annually to the Swiss watch industry. At the global level, more than 400 million counterfeit watches reach the markets every year, with an estimated value of more than half billion dollars.
In the United States, customs authorities seize approximately 150,000 false watches a year, most from China.
