U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said officers at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport have seized nearly $4 million worth of counterfeit sports apparel, luxury bags, sunglasses, and even Land Rover computer systems.
CBP said most of the shipments of counterfeit goods originated in China, and were destined for locations both within and outside of the United States.
The items, which included MLB and Nike apparel, Louis Vuitton bags, Cartier sunglasses, and Jaguar Land Rover computer systems, were deemed inauthentic by the agency’s trade experts at the CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise. They were seized for bearing counterfeit trademarks.
In total, the seized items would have been worth $3.7 million had they been genuine.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
According to CBP, handbags, wallets, apparel, footwear, watches, jewelry, and consumer electronics are at higher risk of being counterfeited. The agency said the rapid rise of e-commerce has fueled counterfeiting as consumers seek deals on disreputable sites.
“Counterfeit goods can often be spotted by their inferior quality. Peeling labels, low-quality ink or printing errors on the packaging, and loosely packed items in the box can be signs that the product you purchased may not be legitimate,” the agency said. “Counterfeit apparel and handbags may feature poor or uneven stitching and improperly sized or designed logos. The performance of counterfeit electronics is often marked by short battery life and regular overheating.”
The agency is reminding consumers to purchase goods from legitimate retailers and reputable online sources.
“Counterfeit goods are poor quality products that cost U.S. businesses billions of dollars a year while robbing our country of jobs and tax revenues,” said CBP Area Port Director Roderick Hudson. “CBP officers remain vigilant in protecting the American consumer and we are committed to stopping counterfeit smuggling. These interceptions combat the illicit actors and organized crime, and enforcement actions help protect communities from potentially hazardous knockoffs.”
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