Customs agents at IAH seize $3.7 million in counterfeit goods, including fake MLB, Nike, Louis Vuitton, Jaguar products, CBP says
Agents seized the items for bearing fake registered trademarks, CBP said.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Officers seized nearly $4 million worth of counterfeit goods at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on Friday.
CBP said that the counterfeit goods seized by agents from the Trade Enforcement Team included fake MLB and Nike apparel, Louis Vuitton bags, Cartier sunglasses, and Jaguar Land Rover computer systems. Officials added that the suggested retail price of the fake goods was $3.7 million.
CBP officials said the items were determined to be inauthentic by the Centers of Excellence and Expertise, the agency’s trade experts, and were taken for bearing fake versions of registered and recorded trademarks.
Authorities said that most of the shipments came from China and were destined for locations both inside and outside of the United States.
“Counterfeit goods are poor quality products that cost U.S. businesses billions of dollars a year while robbing our country of jobs and tax revenues,” CBP Area Port Director Roderick Hudson said. “CBP officers remain vigilant in protecting the American consumer, and we are committed to stopping counterfeit smuggling. These interceptions combat the illicit actors and organized crime, and enforcement actions help protect communities from potentially hazardous knockoffs.”
CBP said that its data shows that handbags, wallets, apparel, footwear, watches, jewelry, and consumer electronics are at higher risk of being counterfeited. Fake versions of popular brands are regularly sold in online marketplaces and flea markets, CBP authorities added.
Experts from CBP said counterfeit goods can often be spotted by their poor quality, including peeling labels, low-quality ink, improperly sized logos, printing errors, and short battery life and overheating in electronics.
CBP advised consumers to buy products from reputable websites and vendors. Authorities said people can report suspected counterfeits by visiting CBP’s online e-Allegations portal or calling 1-800-BE-ALERT.
