TACOMA — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations officers seized a shipment of a variety of counterfeit items including high-end handbags and women’s belts worth more than $1.5 million Tuesday at the Port of Tacoma.
The merchandise was of poor quality and violated the trademark rights of Chanel, Luis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Gucci and Fendi.
seized merchandise that violated the
trademark rights of Chanel, Luis Vuitton,
Calvin Klein, Gucci and Fendi.
“CBP is focused on identifying and intercepting counterfeit merchandise and products. The enforcement of trade laws at U.S. ports of entry remains a high priority for us,” said Mark Wilkerson, director at the Area Port of Seattle. “The importation of counterfeit merchandise threatens the health and safety of the American people and can damage the economy of the United States.”
CBP is responsible for enforcing nearly 500 U.S. trade laws and regulations on behalf of 47 federal agencies, facilitating legitimate trade, collecting revenue, and protecting the U.S. economy and its consumers from harmful imports and unfair trade practices.
With the growth of foreign trade, unscrupulous companies have profited billions of dollars from the sale of counterfeit and pirated goods. To combat the illicit trade of merchandise violating laws relating to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), trademark and copyright holders may register with CBP through an online system. Such registration assists CBP Officers and Import Specialists in identifying merchandise that violate U.S. law.
CBP’s IPR enforcement strategy is multi-layered and includes seizing illegal merchandise at our borders, pushing the border “outward” through audits of suspect importers, cooperating with our international trading partners, and collaborating with industry and governmental agencies to enhance these efforts.
For more information on CBP’s Intellectual Property Rights priority trade issue visit: CBP Trade and IPR.