SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico —U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) San Juan Field Operations announced Wednesday the seizure of counterfeit designer pendants and jewelry imported into Puerto Rico from Hong Kong via air courier. The estimated manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of all the counterfeit products seized is approximately $1.2 million, had the goods been genuine.
“Consumers seek designer pendants and jewelry because of their quality and the memento they can represent as a gift,” indicated Leida Colon, Assistant Director of Field Operations for Trade. “Counterfeits like these defraud the user and do not follow the quality standards of the real item.”
Most of the seizures of counterfeit products in the San Juan Field Office are jewelry, footwear, clothing and prescription drugs. The source countries for most of these items are Hong Kong and China.
Recently the San Juan Field Office also seized 560 fake Apple Airpods, jewelry and watches, and 844 counterfeit alloy wheels.
The sale of counterfeit goods robs legitimate businesses of revenue, American workers jobs, and pose health and safety threats to U.S. consumers. Oftentimes, the proceeds from counterfeit merchandise sales supports other nefarious and illicit businesses.
Despite these efforts, the internet has made it easy to find, purchase, and ship items from almost anywhere in the world. With a high demand for well-known brands, many online vendors sell counterfeit products online, infringing on various trademark holder’s rights and revenues. CBP has established an educational initiative to raise consumer awareness and conscientiousness about the consequences and dangers that are often associated with the purchase of counterfeit and pirated goods. Information about the Truth Behind Counterfeits public awareness campaign can be found at www.cbp.gov/fakegoodsrealdangers.
If you have any information regarding suspected fraud or illegal trade activity, please report the trade violation to e-Allegations Online Trade Violation Reporting System or by calling 1-800-BE-ALERT.
IPR 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.
Follow CBP Office of Trade on Twitter @CBPTradeGov.