U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Rochester Port of Entry seized a variety of designer items for bearing counterfeit trademarks.
In April, CBP officers at the Port of Rochester inspected several shipments that contained multiple “designer” handbags, wallets, clothing, watches and shoes, amongst other items. After a thorough examination of the merchandise, all the items were determined to be inauthentic and were seized for bearing counterfeit trademarks. Had these items been genuine, the total Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) value would be approximately $198,100 dollars.
“CBP plays a critical role in protecting businesses and consumers from fraudulent items,” said Rochester Port Director Ronald Menz. “Our officers do an outstanding job working diligently for the American consumer by stopping this illegitimate merchandise.”
CBP has the authority to detain, seize, forfeit, and ultimately destroy imported merchandise if it bears an infringing trademark or copyright that has been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office and has subsequently been recorded with CBP through the e-Recordation program. https://iprr.cbp.gov/s/.Other violations can include misclassification of merchandise, false country-of-origin markings, health and safety issues, and valuation issues.
Trade in counterfeit and pirated goods threatens America’s innovation economy, the competitiveness of our businesses, the livelihoods of U.S. workers, and, in some cases, national security and the health and safety of consumers. It is also against the law to import counterfeit or pirated merchandise and individual consumers may be liable for a fine even if they did not intend to import counterfeit or pirated merchandise.
