STERLING, Virginia – Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized counterfeit consumer goods in an air cargo shipment that arrived recently to Washington Dulles International Airport. If authentic, the merchandise would have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of more than $129,000.
handbags that CBP officers
seized January 17.
A woman arrived to CBP’s air cargo office December 27 to pick up a shipment manifested as “shoes bags scarfs.” CBP officers examined the shipment, which consisted of 90 items, including designer brand name shoes, handbags, purses, belts and scarves. Officers suspected the merchandise to be counterfeit and detained the shipment.
Working with CBP’s Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Centers for Excellence and Expertise, the agency’s trade experts, officers verified the merchandise as counterfeits through the trademark holder. Officers seized the shipment January 17. The shipment was destined to an individual consignee in Woodbridge, Virginia.
CBP protects businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement program. Importation of counterfeit merchandise can cause significant revenue loss, damage the U.S. economy and threaten the health and safety of American people.
“Consumer safety and trademark protection is one of Customs and Border Protection’s top trade enforcement priorities,” said Casey Durst, CBP Director of Field Operations in Baltimore. “Our officers and import specialists will continue to work closely with our trade and consumer safety partners to identify and seize counterfeit merchandise, especially those products that pose potential harm to American consumers.”
On a typical day in 2017, CBP officers seized $3.3 million worth of products with IPR violations. Learn more about what CBP did during "A Typical Day" in 2017.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, the number of IPR seizures increased 8 percent to 34,143 from 31,560 in FY 2016. The total estimated MSRP of the seized goods, had they been genuine, decreased to $1.2 billion from $1.38 billion in FY 2016. Read more 2017 IPR Enforcement Statistics.
CBP officers seized at Dulles
airport January 17.
As a result of CBP enforcement efforts, ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents arrested 457 individuals, obtained 288 indictments, and received 242 convictions related to intellectual property crimes in 2017.
CBP's border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations. Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders.
Learn more about CBP at CBP.gov.