PORTAL, N.D. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations officers working at the Portal Port of Entry recently targeted a rail container destined to arrive in Portal. CBP officers inspected two rail containers and discovered merchandise in violation of intellectual property rights (IPR) regulations.
Port of Entry seized a shipment of
stainless steel sinks recently.
The merchandise consisted of 1,256 stainless steel sinks. Examination of the sinks revealed a trademark infringement. As a result, CBP seized those items. The counterfeit merchandise has an aggregate manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $944,512.
“Every day CBP plays an important role in stopping counterfeit merchandise from entering the United States. These counterfeit products infringe on the rightful trademark holders,” Portal Port Director Brent Beeter said.
Stopping the flow of illicit goods is a priority trade issue for CBP. The importation of counterfeit merchandise can damage the U.S. economy and threaten the health and safety of the American people. For more information on CBP’s IPR priority trade issue visit: CBP Trade and IPR.
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 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.