York police raid Pacific Mall in search of counterfeit goods

York Regional Police are executing search warrants throughout Markham's Pacific Mall in an effort to crack down on counterfeit goods.

Photos posted on Twitter on Wednesday show officers patrolling the hallways and looking through racks of clothing.

The afternoon sweep follows a U.S. government report that found the mall is among the most notorious sources of pirated and counterfeit goods in the world.

That government report also criticized local police, stating the mall's "sprawling and pervasive" counterfeit sales appear to operate with impunity.

"Requests for assistance from local law enforcement have reportedly gone unanswered," the report from the U.S. Office of the Trade Representative stated.

In the wake of the report, the predominantly Chinese-Canadian shopping centre's management also vowed to crack down. In February, the mall posted written advisories and warnings to store owners and tenants who may be involved in the sale of counterfeit goods, while also launching a website where shoppers can report imitation goods.

York police are set to hold an afternoon news conference on theinvestigation.