The Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau obtained a state grand jury indictment charging the following five men with the theft of about 16,000 counterfeit Coach handbags worth approximately $5.6 million from a freight trailer that was parked at a warehouse facility on Saw Mill Pond Road in Edison:

1. Hamadou H. Kallam, 28, of New York, N.Y.,
2. Alkassom I. Daouda, 35, of Brooklyn, N.Y.,
3. Mohamed A. Kanu, 32, of Bronx, N.Y.,
4. Abdoul S. Zakari-Manadou, 29, of Gaithersburg, Md., and
5. Jose I. Mercado, 38, of Paterson, N.J.

The defendants allegedly broke into the trailer containing the handbags on Oct. 30, 2011. Detectives of the New Jersey State Police Cargo Theft Unit and special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had the site under surveillance in connection with their investigation of an alleged theft ring which targeted counterfeit designer merchandise. Kanu, Zakari-Manadou and Mercado were allegedly unloading handbags from the trailer into a Budget rental truck when they were arrested. Daouda and Kallam were arrested as they arrived at the site, Daouda in another rental truck and Kallam in a Mercedes. Earlier, Kallam, the alleged ringleader, allegedly cut a lock on a chain link fence protecting the lot.

Each of the five defendants was charged with conspiracy, theft by unlawful taking, and possession of counterfeit merchandise with intent to distribute, all in the second degree, and third-degree burglary.

The Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau also obtained a separate state grand jury indictment today charging Ramiro Polo-Fotopoulos, 30, of Union City, with conspiring with another person or persons, currently unidentified, to steal a trailer from a trucking company yard on Westside Avenue in North Bergen on Feb. 11, 2011. The trailer contained Victoria’s Secret clothing and Bath and Body Works products worth approximately $876,400. Polo-Fotopoulos allegedly used a tractor he owns to move the trailer to a warehouse lot in Carlstadt. The trailer was later moved again and has not been recovered. Polo-Fotopoulos is charged with second-degree conspiracy, second-degree theft by unlawful taking, in connection with the stolen merchandise, and third-degree theft by unlawful taking, in connection with the stolen trailer itself. This case was investigated by the New Jersey State Police Cargo Theft Unit, with assistance from the Carlstadt Police Department.

Deputy Attorney General Andrew C. Fried and Deputy Attorney General Krystle Nova presented the cases to the state grand jury for the Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau, Cargo Theft Unit. The investigation was conducted by the New Jersey State Police Cargo Theft Unit, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Carlstadt Police Department.

Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a $150,000 fine, while third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a $15,000 fine. The indictments are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Mary C. Jacobson in Mercer County, who assigned the Polo-Fotopoulos indictment to Hudson County and the other indictment to Middlesex County.

Attorney General Chiesa and Director Taylor noted that the Division of Criminal Justice has established a toll-free tipline 1-866-TIPS-4CJ for the public to report corruption, financial crime and other illegal activities. The public can also log on to the Division of Criminal Justice webpage at www.njdcj.org to report suspected wrongdoing. All information received through the Division of Criminal Justice tipline or webpage will remain confidential.

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