CBP seizes $1.5M in illegal counterfeit products in P.R.
The majority of the seized products originated in China, CBP said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Juan Field Operations announced today that 206 seizures where made of counterfeit products, valued at $1.5 million, which were illegally imported into Puerto Rico via international mail.
A wide range of counterfeited products was seized during the enforcement effort, called “Operation Silver Snake 2,” to include: consumer products, apparel, footwear, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and more, the agency said.
Various international mail packages inspected by CBP officers at the San Juan International Mail Branch revealed products that infringed intellectual property rights. The majority of the seized products originated in China, the agency said.
This is the third iteration of the continuous operation carried out in San Juan this year by the Mobile Intellectual Property Enforcement Team, with the support of CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise, IPR-National Targeting & Analysis Group, Homeland Security Investigations, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Food and Drug Administration, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
“Our dedicated CBP officers, import specialists, paralegal specialists and seized property specialists were key ingredients to this successful enforcement operation focused on the protection of the U.S. economy and the health and safety of the American people from these counterfeit products,” said Edward Ryan, assistant director of Trade for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“We will continue to execute this type of enforcement operations, with our partners, to further protect legitimate businesses and consumers from intellectual property thieves,” said Ryan.
