CINCINNATI—Championship rings are something fans of any sports would treasure. Unfortunately, these expensive rings are often produced and sold by third-party counterfeiters. Many counterfeiters use underground outlets to scam buyers. Consumers should be aware of third-party websites that offer abnormally low prices for commodities. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati recently seized 3 shipments of counterfeit championship rings.
Nationals championship rings were seized by
Cincinnati CBP officers on October 13.
On October 5, officers in Cincinnati seized 2 separate shipments containing 94 counterfeit rings. The rings, which came from Singapore and United Arab Emirates, would have been worth a total of $141,000 had they been genuine. The poor-quality rings included assorted Pittsburgh Penguin Championship rings, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Washington Nationals diamond rings.
The following week on October 13, CBP officers seized another shipment of championship rings. This shipment contained 200 counterfeit Los Angeles Dodger rings. The rings originated in Saudi Arabia and would have been worth $300,000 had they been genuine. All were determined to be counterfeit by CBP’s Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs), the agency’s trade experts. The shipments were destined for private residences in California, Pennsylvania, and Colorado.
“Sports fans often pay big money for sports memorabilia,” said LaFonda Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations-Chicago, “but counterfeit sports memorabilia de-funds our sports organizations, funds criminal networks, and scams the fans. Officers in Cincinnati work hard each day to protect our domestic businesses and American consumers.”
CBP has established an educational initiative, Truth Behind Counterfeits, to raise consumer awareness about the consequences and dangers that are often associated with the purchase of counterfeit and pirated goods. The agency encourages anyone with information about counterfeit merchandise illegally imported into the United States to submit an e-Allegation. The e-Allegation system provides a means for the public to anonymously report to CBP any suspected violations of trade laws or regulations related to the importation of goods in the U.S.
Follow CBP on Twitter @CBPChicago and @DFOChicago.