US News

L’Oréal knockoff stink

L’Oréal is raising a stink over counterfeit colognes it says are being sold with fishy packaging.

The French cosmetics company claims in court papers that a Florida wholesaler has been disguising its knockoffs with a universal product code swiped from a frozen seafood distributor.

L’Oréal’s $4 million-plus trademark suit accuses Delray Beach-based Trend Beauty Corp. of peddling at least 124 bogus bottles of Giorgio Armani’s Acqua Di Gio, along with other “defaced non-genuine” fragrances, including Polo Black and Armani Code.

Trend Beauty founder Steve Meltzer declined comment, but in court papers claims it’s innocent and “acted in good faith” when buying the goods.