Dog Sniffs Out Fake Cologne in Van on Turnpike

Three Michigan men are facing felony charges after Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers seized 1,497 counterfeit perfume and cologne bottles following a traffic stop on the Ohio Turnpike in neighboring Lorain County.

Troopers stopped the 2004 Chevrolet 2500 cargo van for a speed violation at 11:15 a.m. on Nov. 19.

A drug-sniffing dog alerted to the vehicle, and a subsequent search revealed 1,497 bottles of counterfeit perfume and cologne, worth an estimated $75,000.

The occupants, Ali Sobh, 23; Abraham N. Ajami, 23; and Mohamed A. El-Modailal, 40, all of Dearborn, MI., were taken to the Lorain County Jail and charged with trademark counterfeiting and criminal simulation, both fourth-degree felonies. If convicted, they could each face up to three years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.