Over $366,000 worth of counterfeit designer perfumes were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers after it was shipped to the Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/LB) Seaport. The potential price of the counterfeit goods was determined using the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of genuine counterparts, according to a Feb. 11 press release from CBP.
A shipment from Hong Kong was claimed to contain 1,000 cartons of cellular phone accessories, but upon further inspection CBP Officers found over 80 cartons that contained counterfeit perfumes impersonating notable brands such Dior, Chanel and Paco Rabanne. The counterfeit goods violate the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of these companies.
A total of 3,738 counterfeit bottles of perfume were seized from the shipment.
The multiple trademark infringements were identified by CBP Import Specialists from the Consumer Products Mass Merchandising (CPMM) Center.
“Part of our critical CBP mission is to facilitate legitimate trade with a goal of protecting American consumers from dangerous products and to create a level playing field for American businesses,” Carlos C. Martel, Director, CBP Office of Field Operations in Los Angeles, said. “In this case, we have succeeded in our mission by protecting the American consumer from the potential harm associated with counterfeit perfumes, which can sometimes contain unknown chemicals, and by protecting the intellectual property rights of legitimate businesses.”
Consumers are warned that counterfeit products may contain harmful substances, and that profits made from counterfeit goods can sometimes be used to fund terrorist or criminal groups.
“CBP Officers at the LA/LB Seaport do a tremendous job each and every day to protect the American people from dangerous goods,” Donald R. Kusser, Port Director, the LA/LB Seaport, said. “Even during a worldwide pandemic, CBP has remained steadfast and dedicated to our mission.”
CBP seizes millions of counterfeit goods each year. Especially dangerous counterfeit goods include: counterfeit pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, bicycle and motorcycle helmets, medical devices, supplements and other consumables.
CBP seized 26,503 shipments containing counterfeit good in Fiscal Year 2020, which in total had a potential price of nearly $1.3 billion.
CBP launched The Truth Behind Counterfeits campaign to raise public awareness about counterfeits, information can be found on CBP’s website.
