POOR SPORTS IN WOBURN
Fake merchandise seized at Chowdaheadz
Company officials at Chowdaheadz — a Woburnbased online company that sells Boston sports-themed merchandise — could face criminal charges after a raid of their headquarters uncovered counterfeit NFL items including T-shirts, sweatshirts and hats, officials say.
The probe of Chowdaheadz products was launched in December, when Homeland Security investigators told the NFL that a kiosk at the South Shore Plaza in Braintree was selling counterfeit NFL items with the slogan “Do Your Job” — a slogan that has been trademarked by the New England Patriots LLC, according to Woburn police.
The investigation revealed the kiosk bought the items from Chowdaheadz, Woburn police Chief Robert Ferullo announced yesterday. After a nearly two-month investigation, Ferullo said Woburn cops, Homeland Security agents, Topsfield police and NFL representatives executed a search warrant at the company’s Industrial Parkway headquarters yesterday about 1 p.m. and found “counterfeit NFL merchandise including T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and other items, as well as business records, production materials and equipment.”
All of the items, Ferullo said, were seized as evidence.
“I would like to praise the hard work across all of the agencies involved in this case including Woburn police and investigators from Topsfield police, Homeland Security and the NFL,” he said. “We will continue to assist in any way we can to aid this investigation moving forward.”
A Chowdaheadz spokesman declined to comment when reached by the Herald last night.
Although the search warrant didn’t result in any immediate arrests, Ferullo said charges stemming from the raid will be brought by summons and will include a charge of counterfeit merchandise or services.