U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized a shipment of 70,000 counterfeit consumer products July 22 at the port of Newark, N.J. Working closely with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, CBP officers intercepted an estimated $3.9 million worth of the illicit products, including razor blades, toys, sunglasses, markers and batteries, for violating intellectual property laws.
The shipment, which arrived from China, was targeted using CPSC-defined health and safety rules through the Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center in Washington, D.C. In conjunction with CPSC, CTAC identified the cargo for physical examination upon arrival in Newark.
Once identified at the port, CBP personnel examined the shipment, discovered intellectual property violations and seized the goods.
“The partnership between CBP, CPSC and other agencies at the CTAC enables greater sharing of information and targeting to ensure the safety of imported products,” said CBP Assistant Commissioner Allen Gina. “Interagency collaboration at the CTAC, combined with the vigilance of CBP officers at the ports truly exemplifies one U.S. Government working together at the border to protect American consumers.”
Counterfeit goods threaten American innovation, the competitiveness of its businesses, the livelihood of its workers and the health and safety of consumers who purchase inferior products that do not meet federal safety standards. CBP protects businesses and consumers from these risks every day through aggressive targeting and enforcement programs.
In fiscal year 2012, CBP and its investigative partner U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement seized 22,848 shipments for intellectual property rights violations, for a total retail value of $1.26 billion. ( IPR Seizure Statistics: FY 2012(pdf-1,629KB.) )
SOURCE: CBP
