A man selling counterfeit handbags out of a van in Chinatown held two customers hostage for two hours yesterday when cops showed up, police said.
Cops recovered 3,000 bags worth about $125,000 and arrested 21 people in the raid, which hit seven vans, cops said.
The vans, with shelves, benches and lighting, were parked on Lafayette Street from Canal to Walker streets.
When cops approached the last van, the operator locked himself and two customers, a man and a woman, inside.
He began ranting that he would not let the customers leave, but it’s not clear if he made any demands.
He just appeared to be frightened, cops said.
The man, who was not armed, gave up after two hours.
He was charged with unlawful imprisonment in addition to trademark counterfeiting, the charge filed against the other 20. His name was not immediately released.
The bags were knockoffs of such labels as Louis Vuitton, Coach and Burberry.