IMPORT/EXPORT
Customs Confiscates Thousands in Fake Nike Air Jordans
U.S. Customs and Border Protection suspected that the Nike Air Jordans inside seven parcels that landed as air cargo near Dulles International Airport outside of Washington, D.C., weren’t the real thing.
On closer inspection, they found the 400 pairs of sneakers coming from China on Dec. 15 and headed to Alexandria, Va., were fake and confiscated them, the CBP announced on Jan. 8. The estimated street value of the shoes was $54,715.
CBP routinely works closely with manufacturers to train customs inspectors to spot knock-off items. In Los Angeles, premium blue jeans such as True Religion and J Brand have been popular items to copy.
“Customs and Border Protection will continue to work closely with our trade and consumer safety partners to seize counterfeit and interior merchandise, especially those products that pose potential harm to American consumers, negatively impact legitimate business brand reputations and potentially steal jobs from U.S. workers,” said Daniel Mattina, CBP acting port director for the area Port of Washington, D.C.
CBP seized a record number of goods in fiscal year 2016. Seizures increased 9 percent to 31,560, with an estimated value of $1.38 billion. As a result, government officials arrested 451 people, obtained 304 indictments and convicted 272 individuals related to intellectual-property crimes.
