You're doing it wrong

[tlatoani]

CNN's got a story about "handbag parties" and how they're really bad because people will sell you counterfeit purses. I won't address the obvious questions like "is the world so peaceful that's all CNN could come up with to talk about," but one part of the article struck me as really dumb propaganda:

Wallrap said that people who buy and sell the

Comments

[tlatoani]

You too!

[kashma]

Well, I'll take a slightly different view, mostly because I think that this is really (or should be) the actual take from law enforcement. I'm not saying that they're not generating FUD with this. But...

If organized crime is behind faked luxury good purchases, they're doing it for money. They're making money at it and that's probably provable.

Then, that money goes into the coffers of the mobs. They can then use this money to do other, perhaps more seriously, bad things. Extend markets. Increase smuggling operations. Whatever.

It's not a direct correlation, you're right about that.

It's when they then conflate this into a general "you're assisting organized crime" when you download music from the internet that it gets stupid. That's where the FUD is.

[tlatoani]

Sure, if organized crime is behind it, they're making money. But they make money on the more serious stuff too -- this isn't a game where they have to start out selling purses until they have enough cash to buy a meth lab or something, and then eventually work their way up to bigger purchases like cigarette boats, aircraft, or federal judges.

What he's saying is "if you buy these purses, you're giving them the money to commit more serious crimes -- which they couldn't do before". That's just wrong. The serious crimes aren't paid for by the more trivial ones; they're a great business model all on their own. They're going to happen whether people buy the purses or not.

[kashma]

Agreed.

The only other thing I can think of is that you could perhaps use this sort of "lower level" sort of scam to launder money. But there are easier and better ways to do that, too.

Mind you, this sort of argument is used in all sorts of places. If you buy things made in China, you're supporting China's action in Tibet, for example. It's valid, to a point.

[tlatoani]

The only other thing I can think of is that you could perhaps use this sort of "lower level" sort of scam to launder money.

Not in the usual sense. You generally want to launder money doing something legal, so the income doesn't look illegal and can't be seized. Trading in counterfeit luxury goods isn't legal.

[ellameena]

Oh, how I wish I could make money stealing cars. Unfortunately, it's just not profitable, and I've been forced into a life of drudgery doing backbreaking creative writing labor. Alas!

[tlatoani]

Do what everyone else does: hold a handbag party to raise money for a set of decent burglary tools!

[pnkrokhockeymom]

I have some handbags I could bring to a party like that!!!

[metalfatigue0]

You know, when I see the phrase "handbag party," the first thing I think of is the style of music called "handbag house."
Do they play handbag at handbag parties? Do they even have a DJ?