CINCINNATI–-Over the past week, CBP officers in Cincinnati seized 200 counterfeit jerseys determined to have several athletes’ autographs that were unapproved and inauthentic. Had the clothing been real, their cumulative value would have been $42,625.
The jerseys were printed with signatures of Jason Witten, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dwayne Haskins, and Rod Carew. All of the clothing originated in the Philippines and were destined to a warehouse in Nashville, Tennessee.
“Counterfeiters only care about making a profit,” said Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie. “They don’t care about the effect their fake product has on you, your family, or your job. Our officers are well-trained to find seizures like these, to continue our mission of protecting the American public and the American economy”
In Fiscal Year 2020, CBP seized 26,503 shipments of counterfeit goods worth nearly $1.3 billion had the goods been genuine. Most of these seizures were of apparel and accessories, but fake medical supplies played a significant role as well. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, CBP has seized more than 13.5 million counterfeit face masks, and more than 177,000 unapproved COVID-19 test kits.
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.
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