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U.S. Customs and Border Protection says it has seized more than $30 million in counterfeit designer products bearing the names of brands like Gucci, Chanel and Louis Vuitton that had been shipped from China.
CBP officers assigned to the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport discovered more than 13,500 handbags, tote bags, shoulder bags, backpacks, pants and shirts.
A CBP officer examining the counterfeit items. (CBP)
CBP, working with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), seized the shipment on Nov. 9. Import specialists from the Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising (CPMM) Center of Excellence and Expertise assisted the CBP in the investigation.
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If authentic, the items would be worth around $30.4 million, CBP said in a press release.
CBP says the rise of e-commerce has created new opportunities for criminals. (CBP)
According to the agency, e-commerce has allowed criminals to sell counterfeit products by hiding behind seemingly legitimate listings on well-known websites.
Shoulder bags, cross body bags, backpacks, shirts and other items bearing luxury designer names. (CBP)
“Bad actors exploit e-commerce operations by selling counterfeit and unsafe goods through online platforms, particularly during the holiday season when shoppers are looking for deals,” Donald R. Kusser, port director of the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport, said in a statement.
“If the price of the product seems too good to be true, it probably is. Counterfeit goods are often of poor quality and can even be unsafe for you and your family.”
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Last week, CBP officers at Washington Dulles International Airport seized nearly 4,000 glass bongs that had been shipped from China.