Knock-Offs (S01E05)

Anything and everything can be faked: watches, purses, shoes, electronics, smartphones. Go underground to see the breathtaking enterprise and expertise of counterfeiting — an economy that turns over an estimated $500 billion a year. China produces 90 percent of the world's knockoffs and U.S. consumers are a massive market. But the fakes trade comes with real risks. Industry gets hurt and consumers receive shoddy products. Meanwhile, police crackdowns force the fakers to adapt — driving them from the street, leading them to operate out of hotel rooms, using an army of pointers and runners to guide customers to the fake product of their choice. For the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security, it's a cat and mouse game. And the feds are not about to drop their guard any time soon. (National Geographic)