Fire official honored by village

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Valley Stream Chief Fire Inspector Frank Roca was recognized by the village Board of Trustees on July 19 for his uncovering of a counterfeiting operation that was making knockoff health and beauty products in a Valley Stream warehouse.

Roca visited the warehouse for a routine follow-up after a fire there. He noticed suspicious items like gas piping and open burners filled with wax.

“It just didn’t seem right that they were making health and beauty products in a dirty warehouse,” said Roca, who is also a volunteer firefighter in the village. He notified police, who searched the location and tracked the owners to others during a six-month investigation. Samples of the products, which were being packaged as Vicks VapoRub and other products, were sent to the real manufacturers, who confirmed they were counterfeit.

“Due to Inspector Roca’s keen observation, a major counterfeiting operation was closed down,” said Mayor Ed Fare. “Subsequent searches netted $2 million in counterfeit health and beauty products and two men were arrested and charged with felony trademark counterfeiting.”

Roca was previously honored for his actions by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.