Acting like bootlegger, announced dollar per piece of jewellery (12)

'acting' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'bootlegger announced dollar per piece of jewellery' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'per' could be 'a' and 'a' is present in the answer.
'piece' could be 'ring' (I have seen 'Piece of jewellery ' mean 'ring' so perhaps 'piece' could also mean 'ring') and 'ring' is present in the answer.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).

'like' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?