CBP Seized More Than $1.4 Million In Fake Sports Merchandise Ahead Of Super Bowl

U.S. Customs and Border Protection this week announced that ahead of this year’s Super Bowl, officers seized more than 4,000 pieces of counterfeit sports memorabilia that would have been worth nearly $1.5 million if genuine.

During the week of Jan. 27, CBP officers in Cincinnati, Ohio, seized 85 shipments as part of an operation focused on counterfeit sports merchandise and memorabilia such as jerseys, hats, coins, jewelry, footwear, and bags. The merchandise in the seized shipments, which were primarily from China and Hong Kong, would have been worth more than $1.43 million if genuine.

“Im extremely proud of our officers determination in stopping illicit shipments, and our commitment to protecting the American economy,” LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations, Chicago Field Office, said in a statement. “Shipments like these prey on the many sports fans across the nation who may be tricked into paying high prices for these inferior products.”

Among the seized shipments, 30 held counterfeit NFL, MLB and MLS jerseys that would have been worth $232,000 if genuine. The jerseys infringed on trademarks for teams including the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Al-Nassr FC, Atlanta Braves, and Seattle Mariners.

One shipment contained 156 NFL Baltimore Ravens jerseys, and was destined for an address in Jensen Beach, Fla. The jerseys would have been worth more than $27,000 if genuine.

Another shipment, destined for a residence on Elgin Air Force Base in Florida, contained 80 NFL Las Vegas Raiders memorabilia coins. The counterfeit coins, which were shipped from Hong Kong, would have been worth $3,200 if genuine.

“CBP promotes fair and compliant trade,” said Cincinnati Port Director Eric Zizelman. “Buying these dupes not only supports criminal organizations but defrauds legitimate American businesses. Our officers here in Cincinnati work 24 hours a day detecting and intercepting threats on American consumers.”