As the year nears its end, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remains busy, announcing yet another massive bust of illegal counterfeit goods at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport.
According to a CBP news release, authorities recently seized three containerized cargo shipments from China filled with counterfeit items, including more than one million erectile dysfunction pills, sneakers, belts purses and headphones in violation of registered and recorded trademarks. The imagery indicates that among the replica sneakers were Dior x Air Jordan 1s and Ben & Jerry's "Chunky Dunky" Nike SB Dunks, two of this year's most coveted limited edition pairs. If genuine, officials estimated that the goods would have had an estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $32,161,194.00.
“Criminals are exploiting e-commerce platforms to sell counterfeit and often dangerous goods to unwitting holiday shoppers,” said Carlos C. Martel, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles.
Authorities believe the counterfeit goods, sold online and in stores, hurt the U.S. economy, cost Americans their jobs, threaten consumer health and safety, and fund criminal activity.
“Commercial piracy and product counterfeiting undermine the U.S. economy, rob Americans of jobs, stifle American innovation and promote other types of crimes,” David A. Prince, a special agent for Homeland Security Investigations in Los Angeles, said in a written statement. “Intellectual property theft amounts to economic sabotage.”
This year, CBP says it's seized a staggering 26,503 shipments of products that violated intellectual property rights. The estimated value of those goods, had they been genuine, was nearly $1.3 billion.
In August, more than $4.3 million worth of fake sneakers, including Dior x Air Jordan 1s, was seized by CBP at its Dallas/Fort Worth port. We first spotted counterfeit Dior Jordans hitting the market back in April. Released in highs and lows limited to a run of 8,500 each, the shoes retailed for $2,200 and $2,000 respectively, with genuine pairs now fetching anywhere from $7,000 to $8,000 on the resale market.
