Austrian tourist fined 1K euros for buying fake 7 euros Louis Vuitton handbag

Sydney, June 9 (ANI): An Austrian tourist in Italy has been fined 1000 euros for trying to buy a fake Louis Vuitton handbag for 7 euros.

According to the Guardian, pensioner Ursula Corel, 65, was trying to buy the bag at the Italian resort of Jesolo, near Venice when authorities scanning the crowd from a lifeguard’s watchtower spotted her.

She was fined by the authorities, who said they are enforcing a summer crackdown on counterfeit goods, which are worth more than 12 billion dollars globally every year.

“Are you joking?” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted her as asking the officers.

“I don’t go to the beach with 1000 euros, and knew nothing of this law. Some bargain this turned out to be,” she angrily stated.

She later told Britain’s Daily Telegraph she knew the bag was a fake, but had no idea of the possible consequences.

“I bought the bag because it looked very nice and of course I knew it was fake but I had no idea I was committing an offence. There were no signs warning me,” she said.

But the man behind the crackdown, mayor Francesco Calzavara, is unapologetic.

“We are convinced that if the demand drops, so will the offer,” he said, saying the fines were in response to complaints of heavy selling by the vendors.

“One tourist said she was never coming back after being bothered 48 times,” he added.

A local tourism body is now seeking out the pensioner to help cover her fine, fearing that news of the crackdown will lead to a drop in tourist numbers.

“We understand what the mayor is trying to do but at the same time there should be more communication with tourists explaining the risks they run and there are no signs warning they face fines if they buy from street vendors,” it said.

Adding: “We would like to apologise to the Austrian lady in question and assure her that members are more than willing to contribute and help pay off the fine.” (ANI)