It's not just the tourists and visitors to New York City who rush to Canal Street in Chinatown in search of knockoff sunglasses, purses, pocketbooks and handbags . . . lots of ladies from the suburbs of Westchester County, Connecticut and New Jersey make regular trips here for bargains.

The object of these trips to Canal Street are fake Coach, Prada and designer purses for a fraction of what the real bags would cost.

Counterfeit Crackdown - In past years, the knockoff sunglasses and handbags were shown openly on Canal Street and surrounding streets such as Elizabeth Street. But starting in the year 2000, the NYPD began to crack down in earnest on counterfeit sunglasses and fake handbags.

The New York City Police Department has moved the illegal trade indoors, down dark alleys and up darkened stairways.

Whispering "Good Price", the Chinese store attendants will urge the shoppers to be quiet and not make a fuss during a backdoor transaction. There is now an agreement in place between the city of New York and landlords on Canal Street that require vendors to post signs indicating they are NOT licensed dealers of, for example, Louis Vuitton purses, sunglasses or wallets.