US Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Dallas/Fort Worth port of entry seized a shipment of counterfeit footwear including several pairs of limited edition basketball shoes that retails for $2,000 per pair
This shipment valued at over $4.3 million included over 1,800 pair of counterfeit Limited Edition “Dior X Air Jordan 1” shoes destined for Mexico.
CBP officers targeted 60 boxes that originated from Hong Kong and were manifested as “Ball Golf” for an exam. This inspection revealed several styles of footwear bearing the registered trademarks of Nike and Adidas. Due to the poor quality of workmanship, incorrect packaging, and previous experience with similar products, officers determined the footwear were not authentic items.
“Counterfeiters trafficking in phony merchandise are not concerned about the American consumer or the damage their fake goods can do to our economy,” said CBP port director Timothy Lemaux. “CBP will continue to take every opportunity to intercept illegitimate goods and disrupt transnational criminal enterprises seeking to fund criminal activities with counterfeit or pirated merchandise.”
CBP contacted the various trademark holders for merchandise verification, and the shipment’s consignee was given an opportunity to submit proof of Trademark Licensing before CBP seized the shipment.
In fiscal year 2019, Department of Homeland Security agencies seized counterfeit footwear for intellectual property rights that recorded an MSRP of more than $37 million. The National IPR Coordination Center has more information about IPR including counterfeiting and piracy.
