If you're looking to find authentic NFL merchandise in time for the Super Bowl, you might need to keep a close and careful eye out.
Following a consumer complaint, the S.C. Secretary of State's office and the Hampton Police Department raided Spinbad Records & Moore around 10:30 Monday morning and seized counterfeit compact discs and merchandise, which were then destroyed by state officials.
Police say the 204 Lee Avenue business yielded 1,480 pirated CDs and as many as 15 counterfeit NFL jerseys, hats, and jewelry.
Hampton Police Chief Perry McAlhaney said that this is only the third counterfeit bust he's had in town.
"This is only the third case I know of, and I've been here 26 years," he said. "Who would have thought they could counterfeit clothes? It's just about impossible to realize if something is counterfeited, but if it's priced too good to be true it probably is. If you buy an NFL T-shirt for $5, something's got to be wrong with it."
The business is owned by Johnny Moore, of Barnwell. No charges have been filed at this time, but the investigation is ongoing.
"It's not a big crime, but it is cutting the recording industry out of their percentage," added HPD Major James "Blue" Bolton. "We don't have that big a problem here in Hampton, but I imagine it's a big problem around the state."