U.S. Customs Seizes Over a Thousand Counterfeit Handbags
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized more than 1,500 counterfeit handbags at the Los Angeles and Long Beach seaport complexes at the end of February, customs officials said.
Fake handbags, bearing the trademark label Hermes, were seized in two separate shipments from China on February 12 and February 26.
Customs agents say the counterfeit goods have a combined estimated domestic value of $18,412.
"The $18,412 combined estimated domestic value of the shipments is an indicator of potentially high profit margins in the illegal trade of this type of counterfeit luxury product," U.S. CBP official Jaime Ruiz said in a statement.
If the handbags were genuine, customs officials say they would be worth an estimated $14.1 million.
"This seizure demonstrates the high level of skill and vigilance of our officers in protecting the intellectual property rights of companies and individuals," Todd C. Owen, U.S. CBP Director of Field Office Los Angeles, said.
Owen said the CBP is working diligently to prevent increases in the transport and sale of illegal counterfeit luxury handbags which have the potential to harm the economy.
Todd C. Owen, U.S. CBP Director of Field Office Los Angeles said "This seizure demonstrates the high level of skill and vigilance of our officers in protecting the intellectual property rights of companies and individuals, as well as, preventing the proliferation of counterfeit luxury handbags, potentially damaging our national economy."
Handbags and wallets made up the greatest number of counterfeit items seized by the CBP across the nation last year.
The seized handbags will most likely be destroyed.
