Buffalo-based New Era Cap Company is losing millions of dollars to counterfeiters each year, which could cost local workers their jobs.
At the company's Delaware Avenue headquarters downtown Friday, Senator Charles Schumer announced a plan that he says will help trace the source of counterfeit caps, urge the U.S. Trade Representative to put more pressure on foreign governments, and step-up enforcement online.
"When the U.S. Trade rep brings this up at the highest levels, the Chinese then put pressure. The Chinese do nothing unless pressure is put upon them," said Schumer
New Era seized 850,000 fake caps worth more than $35 million last year alone. But the company estimates those numbers are only 30-40-percent of the counterfeit market.
"We can force websites that are knowingly selling fake counterfeit New Era caps online to shut down if they don't stop selling these products, and that's what we intend to do," said Schumer.
New Era employs 700 people in Western New York and 1,000 worldwide. You can read more about Schumer's plan here.