1.
TRACKING SHOT..Route 66 in northern Arizona
0.05

2.
GV EXTERIOR.. Sitting Bull Indian Store
0.11

3.
SV Gift shop sign
0.14

4.
GV PAN INTERIOR.. of store
0.29

5.
SV PAN & CU.. Attorney-General's van arrives outside shop (2 shots)
0.38

6.
SV Investigator enters shop
0.42

7.
SV & CU investigators examine stock (2 shots)
0.53

8.
SV & CU investigators taking notes (2 shots)
1.00

9.
STV investigator marking cartons.
1.01

10.
GV EXTERIOR.. Geronimo's shop
1.05


HIGHWAY; SITTING BULL SHOP; INTERIOR OF STORE; INVESTIGATORS ARRIVE; INVESTIGATORS EXAMINE STOCK; INVESTIGATORS MARK CARTONS.




Initials ES. 1320 ES. 1535


This film was shot by the American National Broadcasting Company

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: State investigators in Arizona began a series of six raids near Phoenix on Monday (8 May) in an effort to clamp down on the trade of fake Indian good sold to tourists as the real thing. One of the shops the investigators examined in the raids was called the Sitting Bull Indian Store, on Highway 66, in the northern part of the state.

The investigators, from the State Attorney-General's office, claim that many of the goods sold as real Indian goods are in fact made in Mexico and Japan. And, they say, this severely hurts the authentic Indian handicraft business.

In one of the shops raided on Monday, investigators said they found that 95 per cent of the goods on sale was fake -- the labels showing where the "handicrafts" were really made had been removed.

The State Attorney-General's office hope that in the wake of Monday's efforts, they'll have enough evidence to severely cut the amount of fake handicrafts on sale.

SYNOPSIS: Route 66 in Northern Arizona is a big area for tourists. And some of the things they most want to buy are authentic Indian handicrafts - like rugs, beads and jewellery. But a lot of goods aren't really Indian at all. Much of what's sold as authentic Indian handicrafts are in fact being made in Mexico and Japan. And the real Indians don't like that at all.

And on Monday, investigators from the State Attorney-General's office, raided six shops near Phoenix to clamp down on the fake trade. One of the Indian's complaints is that the fakes are cutting into their own business.

The investigators checked the stock in the shops. They say that in one of the stores, they found that 95 per cent of what was on sale was from abroad, and the original labels showing the origin of the goods had been removed.

The State Attorney-General's office hope that after their efforts on Monday, they'll have enough evidence to severely cut the amount of fake goods on sale in Arizona.