Grandmother, Adult Grandson Busted with Counterfeit Polos, Nikes and Levi's

A traffic stop on I-85 near Hamilton Mill Road for window tinting led to drug and counterfeit clothing charges for a South Carolina grandmother and her adult grandson.

Two minor grandchildren were also in the car at the time of the arrests. They were later released to a family member.

Mildred Harris and Devon Harris, both of Greenville, S.C., were charged with marijuana possession and possession of counterfeit goods with intent to sell after police found a quarter pound of pot (4.6 ounces) and bags of clothing with brand names like Levi’s, Polo and Nike.

According to the incident report, she is in her early 60s; the grandson is in his early 20s.

Police stopped Mildred Harris northbound on I-85 because her car was moving suspiciously slow and had passenger windows tinted darker than legally allowed.

The police officer noticed a strong odor of “raw marijuana” when he approached the vehicle around 10 p.m. on Feb. 17. Mildred Harris and Devon Harris denied knowledge of marijuana in the car, but after they stepped out of the car, the reporting officer saw Devon Harris drop a small bag of green leafy material on the side of the road. The substance tested positive for marijuana.

A search of the car uncovered several large plastic trash bags in the luggage area that included: 11 bags of “Access” shirts, 21 pairs of Nike shoes in boxes, 12 Polo shirts, 6 “Huge NY” shirts and five pairs of Levi’s jeans.

Concealed inside one of the shoeboxes was a clear bag with 130 grams (4.6 ounces) of marijuana. The grandson told police the drugs were his.

The officer noted in the incident report the “oddly packaged” clothing items “did not appear to be authentic.”
The woman told police she travels to Atlanta once a month to shop the “Greenbriar Flea Market” to buy clothes for her business, according to the incident report. She said she suspected the clothes were counterfeits. She told police she paid $400 for the clothes.

“The estimated retail value for the clothing is $4,500, if they were authentic,” the arresting officer noted.

Both people face charges for equal possession of the clothing and drugs.