CBP seizes $700K worth of counterfeit luxury jewelry in Puerto Rico
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and import specialists seized 116 pieces of counterfeit luxury jewelry in a consignment from China destined for Puerto Rico for violating intellectual property rights.
The shipment’s estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), had the items been genuine, would have been $701,600, according to the agency.
“What an importer thought would be Christmas presents could pose a health risk because of the subpar quality of fake jewelry,” said Efraín Rivas, assistant director of Field Operations for Trade at CBP’s San Juan Field Office.
During the 2023 federal fiscal year, the San Juan Field Office made 1,313 seizures with a combined MSRP of nearly $21 million.
The CBP has the authority to detain, seize, forfeit and destroy merchandise attempting to enter the United States if it infringes on a trademark or copyright registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or the U.S. Copyright Office, and recorded with the CBP.
“When shopping online, consumers need to be wary of counterfeit goods. Fake products can lead to real dangers, which are not always apparent to consumers,” the agency advised.
The CBP has established an educational initiative to increase consumer awareness about the risks and consequences of purchasing counterfeit and pirated goods online or in stores.
The agency encourages people with information about suspected fraud or illegal trade activity to report it through the Trade Violations Reporting Tool or by calling 1-800-BE-ALERT. Intellectual property rights violations can also be reported to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center or by telephone at 1-866-IPR-2060.
