NEW YORK, Feb 26, 2008 (AFP) - US authorities raided dozens of stores in New York's Chinatown Tuesday in a crackdown on counterfeit goods that yielded fake watches, bags and perfumes with a street value of one million dollars.

Sacs contrefaits dans le quartier de Chinatown - Photo : Mike Clarke/AFP

The operation saw 32 storefronts shut down in the downtown Manhattan area, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced. There were no arrests made during the sweep, but the owner of the stores would face a heavy fine, Bloomberg said.

Among the goods seized were fake Rolex watches and bags and accessories bearing labels such as Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Fendi.

"Counterfeit goods cheat the city, consumers, legitimate business owners, and trademark holders," Bloomberg said, announcing the raids. The city has since 2003 seized fake goods with a street value of some 60 million dollars.

New York authorities in December broke up a ring that had smuggled dozens of shipping containers loaded with Chinese-made fake handbags and shoes into the United States disguised as shipments of noodles.

Prosecutors put the value of the genuine versions of the smuggled merchandise at an estimated 200 million dollars.