U.S. Customs Intercepts Counterfeit Purses in Palm Beach Worth $5 Million Dollars

On November 26, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers seized 4,805 purses, wallets, and backpacks in order to determine if they were counterfeit. The shipment arrived from China and was on its way to the Bahamas.

After being initially detained, samples were forwarded to the Import Specialists Branch for review and further investigation.  After a thorough review CBP Import Specialists made the determination that the goods were indeed counterfeit. The items were determined to have a MSRP value of  $5,540,820 dollars and on January 13, 2009 all were seized.

“The people who traffic in this type of crime not only steal from legitimate companies, but they also dupe the unknowing consumer into buying items that are substandard. In some cases a counterfeit item that does not meet the manufacturer’s specifications can even threaten the health or safety of a consumer.  CBP Field Operations in Miami is committed to stopping trade in pirated and counterfeit goods.”  said Director of Field Operations Harold Woodward.