SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - In just two days, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and import specialists seized 44 shipments from various express consignment facilities in Puerto Rico containing products violating intellectual property rights. If the items were genuine, the combined Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) is estimated at $873,000.
CBP seized products ranging from clothing and footwear to jewelry, purses and watches. The merchandise originated from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Colombia and Singapore.
“Illicit trade in counterfeit goods can be found in all products and all industries, representing a significant threat to America’s innovation economy, the competitiveness of our businesses, the livelihoods of U.S. workers and, in some cases, national security and the health and safety of consumers,” stated Efrain Rivas, Assistant Director of Field Operations for Trade at the San Juan Field Office. “This operation showcased our team’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding intellectual property and upholding the integrity of legitimate commerce.”
In the 2022 federal fiscal year, the San Juan Field Office made 1,377 Seizures with a combined MSRP of more than $36 million, while in fiscal year 2023, the Field Office executed 1,313 Seizures with a combined MSRP of nearly $21 million.
When shopping online consumers need to beware of counterfeit goods. Fake goods can lead to real dangers, which are not always obvious to consumers.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, e-commerce is increasingly being used by counterfeiters to sell fake and dangerous items to consumers, some of whom actively seeking out low-priced fakes, while others purchase the items thinking they are genuine. CBP established an educational initiative to raise consumer awareness about the consequences and dangers associated with purchasing counterfeit and pirated goods online or in stores. More information about that initiative is available at www.cbp.gov/fakegoodsrealdangers. CBP has the authority to detain, seize, forfeit, and ultimately destroy merchandise seeking entry into the United States if it bears an infringing trademark or copyright that has been registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or the U.S. Copyright Office, and has subsequently been recorded with CBP.
If you have any information regarding suspected fraud or illegal trade activity, please submit an allegation to CBP through the Trade Violations Reporting Tool or by calling 1-800-BE-ALERT. Intellectual property rights violations can also be reported to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center at https://www.iprcenter.gov/referral/ or by telephone at 1-866-IPR-2060.
For more information about protecting yourself from counterfeit and pirated goods, visit https://www.stopfakes.gov/