An Austrian tourist was fined 1000 euros for buying a counterfeit “designer” bag in Jesolo [Veneto] on Saturday. The 65-year-old woman purchased the fake Louis Vuitton bag for 7 euros from an unlicenced Senagalese vendor on the beach and was then confronted by two police officers who had been watching the transaction through binoculars. The police officers calmly told the tourist that, under a law passed in Italy some years ago, both the vendor and the purchaser are liable to fines in such cases.

Local Councillor Andrea Boccato said that some tourists buy these goods because they think they are helping the vendors but actually they are playing into the hands of criminal gangs who exploit immigrants. He also said that he was sorry for the tourist in this instance but that this year, there would be zero tolerance of illegal trading in the area.