ANCHORAGE, Alaska â Federal prosecutors say four shops catering to Alaska cruise ship visitors illegally sold bone carvings portrayed as works by Alaska Native artists.
The shop owners in Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway have been charged with violating the federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act.
Prosecutors say Congress adopted the measure as a truth-in-marketing law.
Native issues advocate Rosita Worl says fraudulent sales undercut the work of Alaska Native artists.
She says many of them live in rural villages with depressed economies, and art sales allow them to continue living in villages.
Shop owner Gabriel Karim says there might have been a misunderstanding, but everyone who works in his Ketchikan store is trained to identify the origin of artwork to customers.
