CUSTOMS AGENTS FROWN ON FUNKY FOOTWEAR

Shoes Can Hide Secret Stash

Thick-soled shoes at the cutting edge of hip youth fashion this year are
causing consternation for U.S. Customs because of their most unique
feature: a secret compartment ideal for stashing contraband.

Sha Sha Shoes are the rage among clubbers, skateboarders, ravers and hot
rodders who love the garish designs, iridescence and industrial soles.

A top selling point is a tiny compartment beneath the insole that
manufacturers call the "G-Spot."

In an alert to inspectors nationwide Wednesday, Customs Commissioner Ray
Kelly warns that Sha Sha Shoes have been used as a hiding place for club
drugs such as Ecstasy.

He also posted a warning to parents on the Web site, www.customs.gov: "If
your child owns a pair of these shoes, be aware of the fact that they
contain such hidden compartments."

Sha Sha Shoe co-founder Billy Ruff describes the unisex shoes as a
combination of a skateboard or tennis shoe with the trendy look of Dr.
Martens or Tredair, shoes popular in alternative and club crowds.

The "G-Spot" -- named, Ruff says, because it's "a secret spot that's hard
to find" -- is intended to store keys or cab fare.

"If you're going to a club and you want to throw your key and $20 in there
. . . that was our intention from the start," Ruff says. "Sha Sha is an
honest company and in no way advocates the association with drugs whatsoever."

A standard 2-inch house key fits snugly in the inch-deep pocket.

Ruff, who has sent Customs a catalogue and information about the shoes,
acknowledges that people might find alternative uses for the compartment.

"It kind of goes without saying," says Ruff, 35, a former professional
skateboarder with a knack for finance and marketing. He helped found the
company based in Costa Mesa, Calif., two years ago. The shoes sell for
about $80 a pair and come in a variety of styles, including lace-ups and
Mary Janes. The black-and-white tribal flame design is most popular.

"When guys are cruising out those shoes, they are feeling confident. It's a
huge style scene," says Derek "D$" Jaeger, marketing manager for
pimpIT.com, a Web site for the "cool and hip," which sells the shoes. "It's
cruising the kicks, for sure."