More than $550,000 worth of fake designer apparel seized by U.S. Customs and Border officers in Minneapolis
More than $550,000 worth of knock-off designer apparel was seized by U.S. Customs and Border officers in Minneapolis on Jan. 22.
According to a release by CBP, on Jan. 22, officers in Minneapolis seized two shipments arriving from Laos. The shipments were destined for a residence in Minneapolis and Superior, Wi.
The shipments contained apparel CBP officers determined was in violation of CBP trademark and copyright code. Officers seized various handbags, wallets, fanny packs and phone cases with logos from designers like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Chanel among others.
The total retail value of the shipments had they been authentic would have been $562,719.
“CBP is responsible for enforcing nearly 500 U.S. trade laws and regulations on behalf of 49 other federal agencies. CBP officers play a critical role in the Nation’s efforts to keep unsafe counterfeit and pirated goods from harming the American public,” said Augustine Moore, Area Port Director-Minneapolis. “This is yet another dramatic example of how CBP officers work every day to protect the American consumer, the US economy and US jobs.”
Nationwide in 2020, CBP seized 26,503 shipments containing goods that violated intellectual property rights, per a statement from CBP. The total estimated value of the seized goods, had they been genuine, was nearly $1.3 billion.