Customs and Border Protection announced Tuesday that their officers at the Port of New York and New Jersey seized over 9,000 pair of counterfeit Nikes worth nearly $1.7 million.
According to a press release issued by the agency, CBP officers inspected the shipment when it arrived from Dongguan City, China in late September. The seizure was completed last Thursday.
Officers then submitted digital images of the sneakers to CBP’s Apparel Footwear and Textiles Center for Excellence and Expertise, the agency’s trade experts. CBP’s CEE specialists worked with the trademark holders and determined the sneakers to be counterfeit.
CBP completed the seizure Thursday. The sneakers were destined to an address in Chino, California. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations agents in Newark, N.J. continue to investigate.
Troy Miller, the Director of CBP’s New York Field Office has this to say in regards to the seizure:
This significant seizure of counterfeit Nike sneakers illustrates Customs and Border Protection’s continued commitment to protecting the American consumer against the proliferation of substandard and potentially unsafe counterfeit consumer goods. Enforcing Intellectual Property Rights laws is a CBP priority trade mission. We will continue to work closely with our trade and law enforcement partners to identify and seize counterfeit merchandise that could potentially harm U.S. consumers and businesses.”
The 9,024 pair of seized counterfeit footwear, had they been authentic, would have a value of $1,695,600 Customs and Border Patrol said.
