LOUISVILLE, Ky—Last Friday, December 4, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Louisville intercepted two shipments containing counterfeit hats and handbags worth over $800,000, if they were real.
The first shipment was arriving from China, while the second shipment arrived from Vietnam. Each package was mis-manifested, and CBP officers inspected the parcels to determine the admissibility of its contents in accordance with CBP regulations. When the first shipment, which was destined for Texas, was opened officers found 938 counterfeit Louis Vuitton hats. If these hats were real they would have been worth $764,470. The second shipment, destined for a residence in local Columbia, KY, contained 29 counterfeit Louis Vuitton handbags. If these purses were real, they would have been worth $56,550. In all, CBP officers seized $821,000 worth of counterfeit goods.
“Criminal groups continue to send shipments like this flooding our country with fake, sometime dangerous, products,” said Thomas Mahn, Port Director-Louisville. “When consumers purchase counterfeit goods, legitimate companies lose revenue, which can force those companies to cut jobs.”
In Fiscal Year 2020, CBP seized 26,503 shipments of counterfeit goods worth nearly $1.3 billion had the goods been genuine. The most commonly counterfeited goods are watches and jewelry; apparel and related accessories; handbags and wallets; footwear; and consumer electronics.
CBP encourages consumers to be aware of counterfeit and pirated goods when shopping this holiday season, particularly when purchasing online. CBP has also established an educational initiative to raise consumer awareness about the consequences and dangers associated with purchasing counterfeit and pirated goods online or in stores. More information about that initiative is available at www.cbp.gov/fakegoodsrealdangers.
CBP's border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations. Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders. Learn more about CBP at www.CBP.gov.