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Sandi Carroll: I Was A Spy in Chinatown

The Moth

Mon Sep 06 2010

In Chinatown, even the criminals arenâ€™t what they seem.

Summary

Summary of "Sandi Carroll: I Was A Spy in Chinatown"

Introduction

In the September 6, 2010 episode of The Moth titled "I Was A Spy in Chinatown," storyteller Sandi Carroll shares her intriguing and adrenaline-fueled experience working undercover to combat counterfeit merchandise in New York City's Chinatown. Carroll, an actor and artistic director, vividly recounts the challenges, unexpected moments, and moral dilemmas she faced while navigating the clandestine world of counterfeit goods and crime.

Setting the Scene: Undercover Operations in Chinatown

Carroll begins by detailing her role within a private investigation company tasked with identifying and eradicating the sale of fake Rolex watches and other counterfeit luxury items in Chinatown. The job predominantly involves using actors to maintain undercover identities, allowing Carroll and her team to blend seamlessly into the vibrant and deceptive environment.

[03:30] "We're undercover detectives, but instead of badges and guns, we have wigs and fake IDs."

The Encounter: Identifying the Target

A pivotal moment in Carroll's story occurs when a woman clad entirely in Louis Vuitton approaches her watch stand, requesting to see her "best Rolex." This interaction leads Carroll to observe and follow a particular vendor distinguished by his conspicuous orange heel tennis shoes—a detail that becomes crucial in tracking him.

[04:15] "The orange heel tennis shoes are what made him stand out in a sea of subtlety."

Surveillance Techniques: The Art of Disguise

To confirm the vendor's illicit activities, Carroll employs meticulous surveillance tactics. She camouflages herself as a homeless individual, believing that appearing unattractive and inconspicuous would grant her the invisibility needed to monitor the suspect without arousing suspicion.

[08:20] "Disguising myself as a homeless person was like donning a cloak of invisibility. Suddenly, I could watch without being watched."

The Discovery: Unveiling the Secret Storage

After days of observation, Carroll successfully locates the vendor's hidden storage area. Contrasting her high-stakes spy narrative, she humorously acknowledges the simplicity of identifying the suspect through his unique footwear.

[06:50] "If you ever want to be undercover, change your shoes. People change everything else, but shoes are often the one thing they leave behind."

The Raid: High Stakes and Unexpected Revelations

The culmination of Carroll's surveillance is a significant raid that uncovers over a million dollars' worth of counterfeit Rolex watches, along with bags of drugs and weapons. This discovery thrusts Carroll into a complex situation where she must confront the real consequences of her undercover work.

[13:30] "I found myself thrust into a nightmare where the lines between right and wrong blurred, and the power I wielded felt both exhilarating and terrifying."

Moral Dilemmas: Power and Responsibility

Post-raid, Carroll grapples with the ethical implications of her actions. She reflects on the power dynamics involved in her role, questioning the morality of turning in individuals for crimes that, in her view, aren't genuinely harmful. This introspection leads her to empathize with the very people she was tasked to apprehend.

[14:50] "I realized that holding the power to change someone's life felt like a dangerous power trip. It made me question who I was really helping—or harming."

The Twist: Fake Goods and Identity

In a surprising twist, Carroll discovers that even the ecstasy found during the raid was counterfeit. This revelation underscores the pervasive deception within Chinatown's underbelly and further complicates her understanding of authenticity and identity in her undercover endeavors.

[15:25] "In a world built on facades, even what you're trying to expose as fake turns out to be another layer of deception."

Conclusion: Reflections on Authenticity and Facades

Carroll concludes her story by pondering the broader implications of her experiences. She distinguishes between the superficial facades of Chinatown and the genuine, albeit complex, human interactions she encountered. Her narrative emphasizes the thin line between deception and reality, both in her professional life and within the community she infiltrated.

[15:35] "Chinatown taught me that while the shops and goods might wear masks, the people behind them are as real and multifaceted as anyone else."

Final Thoughts

Sandi Carroll's gripping tale offers a unique glimpse into the hidden operations within one of New York City's most dynamic neighborhoods. Through her vivid storytelling, listeners are invited to explore themes of identity, morality, and the intricate dance between appearance and reality. Carroll's narrative not only entertains but also prompts reflection on the ethical complexities inherent in undercover work.

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Transcript

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Dan Kennedy (2:08)

Welcome to the Moth Podcast. I'm Dan Kennedy, just back from my secure compound in upstate New York where I've been locked away for the last month. Thanks to Mike Birbiglia for filling in who was doing a wonderful job. And of course you know that the Moth is a non profit organization that features true stories told live without notes. And the stories on the podcast that you're listening to are taken from our ongoing storytelling series in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit, as well as from our tour shows across the country. When the Moth Goes on the Road the story you're about to hear by Sandy Carroll Was recorded live at the Moth mainstay back in 2004. And the theme of the night was Crime and Punishment Stories of cons and consequences.

Sandy Carroll (3:00)

I'm standing on Canal street in Chinatown at this watch stand, and I'm scanning the trays for fake Rolex, when I hear this woman say, uh, I want to see your best Rolex. And I look over and there's this woman, and she's basically clad head to toe in Louis Vuitton. And the watchman kind of looks at her sideways, and I guess she gets offended because she points to the apparently expensive watch on her wrist and she says, you see this watch I'm wearing? I want to see your best Rolex. And so he kind of nods and he says, you wait here five minutes. And off he goes. And off I go, right behind him, thinking, I love it when people do my job for me. Because at the time, I was working undercover for a private investigation company that investigates counterfeit merchandise and trademark infringement in Chinatown. And what that means, simply put, is it was my job to find fake Rolex. So the company hires mostly out of work actors because we have to go to Chinatown several times a week and spy on the same people over and over again. So we have to disguise ourselves so they don't recognize us. And. And actors are generally happy to put on crazy wigs and pretend to be somebody else every day. So anyway, I'm following this guy through Chinatown, and he walks directly to a storage location, a basement storage location a few blocks away. Now, usually these guys automatically pull some kind of anti following tactics. They double back three or four times or they cross the street dodging traffic. But this guy, for some reason, just walks straight there and he unlocks this little door, he goes inside and he comes back out with a black plastic bag. And I'm so excited, I don't even bother to follow him back to the store where I'm sure he sold it for 10 times what it was worth. Because I am the super spy hero of the day. Because I found the secret storage location, which is the biggest challenge in our job, is to find where they hide their stuff. Because, you know, Chinatown is crazy. I mean, everybody's been to Chinatown probably, right? But I remember the first time I went down there, it was like, there's way more going on here than meets the eye. And when I started working undercover, I realized it's true. Because, I mean, Chinatown is full of facades. It's like, for starters, we aren't what we seem to be. The watches aren't really Rolex. The vendors aren't even Chinese. They're mostly Vietnamese. And the woman who looks like she's putting her trash in the corner, she's actually hiding her stash of Louis Vuitton bags in the last place we'd ever think to look for them. Or that wall could actually be a door which is sealed shut by a magnetic lock, which is controlled by a remote control in a vendor's pocket. And it leads to a series of tunnels and hidden staircases, the likes of which I thought only existed in movies. I mean, the secret storage places beneath Chinatown are unknowable, but it's really fun to try to find them. So actually, I mean, a job can be a little morally sketchy, because who really cares if anyone's selling fake luxury goods in Chinatown? But it's true. I mean, but for the most part, the people that I bust, for starters, they're making a lot more money than I am. And it's also civil. They don't go to jail. It's not criminal. So they just get their stuff taken away from them. And I have to say, it's kind of fun when you find the secret storage location because you feel like you're in a spy movie. It's really exciting. So I get really excited when I found this guy's secret storage place. I'm like, I call it into the office immediately. I play it cool. And I'm like, sandy here just found a secret storage location. And. And he's like, oh, great. Did you get a description on the vendor? And I'm like, yeah, he's Asian, male, 5 foot 5. We actually talk like this Asian male, 5 foot 5, medium build, blue jeans and named blue jacket. He's got black hair. He did. And he's like, oh, okay, this is great. Anything more specific? And I say, oh, yeah, he's wearing these orange heel tennis shoes. And it was actually the orange heel tennis shoes which made it really easy to follow him through Chinatown. And actually, if you ever want to be undercover, or criminal for that matter, change your shoes. Because, you know, people will change their hair or their coats or their pants, but most people, for some reason, don't change their shoes. So I have to do surveillance on this location over the next several days to confirm that it is indeed worth hitting.

Sandy Carroll (7:41)

And I happen to notice that magically, there's a park bench located right across the street, perfectly situated for surveillance. So I dress up in, like, five layers of clothing, and I pull a shabby wool hat down over my head, and I park myself on the bench as this like crazy homeless type person. And I mean, homeless disguises are like a cloak of invisibility because all you have to do is make yourself as unattractive as possible. You know, crazy homeless. And people will choose not to see you. You can do anything and no one will bat an eye. So I'm sitting on my bench and I'm sort of rocking and muttering to myself for several hours. And finally orange heel shows up and he goes down to his storage location. He unlocks the door, he goes in, he comes back out with his little black plastic bag. And I decide I have to get a closer look. So I cross the street, I'm kind of walking towards him, weaving back and forth across the sidewalk. And just as he passes me, I slam into him and he drops his bag and a little Rolex slides out. And it's a high end counterfeit Rolex. I mean, this thing, he was selling it for at least a couple hundred, if not passing it off as real. And he's like, what the, you know? And I'm just like so terrified of my own audacity that I lack of anything better to say. I'm like, the coming of the Lord is near. And it seemed like a good time. To save time, he says something in Vietnamese probably. And he picks up his plastic bag. And just as he starts off, I look up and we're looking right at each other. And I expect him to look like a criminal or something. I don't know what they look like, but mean or cold or something. But he's just a kid. I mean, he doesn't have a single smile wrinkle on his face. And he looks as scared as I am. So the next day is a raid day. I should explain. There's us, the spies, and then there's the raid team. So we go out, we find out who's got what where, and then the raid team, they go in and they take it. So morning of the raid, I have to confirm that the merchandise is still in the location. So I sit in my park bench and wait for orange heels to show up. He does. He goes into the storage location, comes out with his usual black plastic bag. And then he goes off to the store for his day's sales. And I call it in. Merchandise location confirmed. And then I go off to a coffee shop to wait for my next assignment for the day. And the Ray team goes in and they hit it, you know, they break down the door, whatever, and they find 10,000 high end counterfeit Rolex watches. I mean, this is huge. It's like over a million dollars worth of merchandise potentially. And right next to the watches, they find bags of drugs and guns. So I'm kicking back in my coffee shop when I get a call to say I have to meet up with the cops immediately to do a drive by ID of orange shields at his store because they want to arrest him for possession of drugs and illegal weapons. And I'm like, okay, this is not what I signed up for. This is like I'm in way over my head here. I mean, okay, this is like people are going to jail here. I'm going to have to testify against this guy in court or something. Not to mention that I've been spying all week on a guy who might potentially kill me if he knew. I mean, we stood less than a foot away and he looked right at my face. So I have specific instructions to go down to the corner of Howard and Crosby and wait for a cop car to drive by. And when it does, I'm to wave it down and say exactly this. Oh, my God, a guy just stole my wallet. That was the secret code phrase. So I'm standing on the corner of Howard and Crosby. Cop car approaches, I wave it down, I run up and I don't know, because I'm an actress, I say, almost, my God, a guy just stole my wallet. And the cop says, oh yeah, what do you look like? And I'm like, I don't know, I was just told to tell you that. And he's like, oh, yeah, the lady was supposed to pick up. And I'm like, yeah, me. And he's like, oh, get in. So get in. And I'm sliding down in the back seat of the car as much as possible as we drive down Canal street because I'm terrified that this murderous drug dealer is going to see me and recognize me in the cop car, not the other way around. And I think the cops must have sensed my nervousness, probably because I had a scarf draped over my head with only my eyes showing, because he offered to loan me his sunglasses. And they were Oakley's and they were real, too. So we're driving along, you know, and we drive past his door and he's not there. I mean, of course he's not there. His storage location is crawling with cops. I'm sure he was well hidden in the maze that is Chinatown. But I'm relieved because, one, I'm scared of this guy, but two, I kind of actually don't really know what he looks like. I mean, okay, I looked at him for all of two seconds, but he just looked young. And the only way I really knew this guy was by his orange heel tennis shoes. It's like, what if I send the wrong guy to prison based on a pair of Nikes? So I go back with the cops to the police station to fill out a report, and I'm sitting in the back room when the bags of drugs and guns arrive. And they are two Ziploc baggies filled with ecstasy and a handgun. Okay, this was not the, you know, garbage bags filled with cocaine and semi automatic rifles that I had been imagining. I mean, a handgun is a dangerous weapon, but ecstasy is. It's just ecstasy. So. So the cop, he hands me his number and he says, you know, if you see him while you're out there, you give me a call. So about a month goes by and I don't see orange heels anywhere. He's probably laying low, but I kind of make a little game with myself Every time I walk by his store. I kind of scan the shoes. And one day I'm walking along, I'm not really paying attention. I just kind of walk past the store, I look over and I see the orange heels. And I'm terrified because I'm still convinced that this guy knows who I am. And he is very pissed off. So I look up and he's looking right at me. So I kind of smile. And then I realize he's looking right through me. I mean, he doesn't even see me. So I'm walking along. I still have the cops number. I mean, I could call him, but I don't because I kind of like orange heels. I mean, I kind of feel like. I mean, I feel like he and I are the same. We're both just struggling to get by. We happen to be playing on opposite teams. And so I'm walking along and I'm kind of feeling good about myself, you know, I'm like, you know what? I'm a good person. I'm not going to turn you in, buddy. I got your back. And then I realized that's ridiculous because I'm the one who turned him in in the first place. It's like, I mean, this job, you know, it's like, oh, I'm a sexy, mysterious spy person. But really, it's just. It's a power trip. Essentially, I'm on a power trip because I have the power to change people's lives. I get to choose who I turn in and who I don't. If some guy is a total asshole to me, I'm probably going to report him. But if it means some 20 year old kid's going to go to prison for the next two years because of a couple bags of ecstasy, I mean I'm not going to tell him report him. It's Then again, like I said, the authorities obviously don't really care that there are counterfeits being sold in Chinatown. I mean, everybody knows you can go down a canal street and get a fake Louis Vuitton bag. So it's like even my power trip is a facade. It's like the facades in Chinatown are unreal. But that is different than being fake because I think the best parts of Chinatown and probably life are unreal. It's just the watches that are fake. But actually that's not true. They finally got the test back from the lab on the two bags of ecstasy. It turns out even the ecstasy was fake. Thank you.