The next day, terrorists attacked the World Trade Center. Lommen's opportunity vanished.
In the days after the attacks, Canal Street was shut down. Now, the shops have opened again and sales of fake sunglasses have resumed with renewed vigor. But not the fight against such sales.
Trademark enforcement has dropped sharply on everyone's list of priorities. The entire police force is working overtime to secure the city and aid in the recovery. The organized crime division is working on terrorism-related investigations. The Fifth Precinct has put peddler enforcement on the back burner and turned its attention to looking for crimes deemed more serious.
Around the country, borders have been tightened, but customs officials are checking for explosives, guns and illegal immigrants. Lommen had been working with four customs agents in Los Angeles who specialize in spotting counterfeit goods sent by ship. Now most of those agents are working on the Mexican border, looking for bombs. Top customs officials have already said they are giving lower priority to drug interdiction, which means that counterfeiting has moved even further down the list.
A different universe
"The standard answer is that you can do both," said Raymond Kelley, who stepped down as commissioner of the US Customs Service in January. "In the real world, the focus is off of counterfeiting."
Even IPSA has other concerns and other clients whose needs are more pressing. Safir said the company had been contracted by many companies to create crisis management plans and to figure out better ways to evacuate buildings in the event of terrorist attacks. It is working to install new kinds of security devices for clients, including doors that close when an unfamiliar face approaches. A food distributor, prompted by worries that someone might try to contaminate its products, has asked IPSA to improve its security.
"You are not in the same universe any more," Safir said. "The truth is, dealing with trademark is an economic crime that is important. But it is not something that threatens our way of life."
Lommen does not disagree. Fighting terrorism is far more important that fighting counterfeit sunglasses, he said. He mourns the people killed in the attacks, yet like many Americans he also despairs over the work that was lost that day.
"We may have to start all over next summer," Lommen said last week. "They are selling more counterfeit Oakleys than ever, because law enforcement is out on the recovery effort. I wish the criminals were more patriotic and put that on hold."
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