CBP San Juan seizes $1.2M in fake designer pendants and jewelry
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) San Juan Field Operations announced the seizure of counterfeit designer pendants and jewelry imported into Puerto Rico from Hong Kong via air courier.
The estimated manufacturer suggested retail price of all the counterfeit products seized is approximately $1.2 million, had the goods been genuine, the agency said.
“Consumers seek designer pendants and jewelry because of their quality and the memento they can represent as a gift,” said Leida Colón, assistant director of field operations for trade. “Counterfeits like these defraud the user and don’t follow the quality standards of the real item.”
Most of the seizures of counterfeit products in the San Juan Field Office are jewelry, footwear, clothing and prescription drugs. The source countries for most of these items are Hong Kong and China, the CBP confirmed.
Recently, the San Juan Field Office also seized 560 fake Apple Airpods, jewelry and watches, and 844 counterfeit alloy wheels.
“The sale of counterfeit goods robs legitimate businesses of revenue, American workers jobs, and pose health and safety threats to U.S. consumers. Oftentimes, the proceeds from counterfeit merchandise sales supports other nefarious and illicit businesses,” the agency stated.
“Despite these efforts, the internet has made it easy to find, purchase, and ship items from almost anywhere in the world. With a high demand for well-known brands, many online vendors sell counterfeit products online, infringing on various trademark holder’s rights and revenues,” it added.
