Every day, counterfeiters attempt to bring counterfeit goods into different countries, like the United States, where value-priced, name-brand products are in high demand. Boarder protection officials work hard to maintain the integrity of the products sold in the country and to prevent the economic damage done by counterfeit goods, in this case it was counterfeit belts.
In 2014, CBP made over 23,000 seizures of goods that were counterfeit, with a total of $1.2 billion in value. Each day they seized around $3.4 million in counterfeit goods across the country. Those in the manufacturing and shipping industries rely on the work of the CBP in the U.S. and similar organizations across the globe to help maintain the integrity and trust in the industry that consumers demand.
On June 24, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized over 300 counterfeit leather belts being shipped to Orlando from Hong Kong. The MSRP of the fake Gucci, Fendi and Salvatore Ferragamo belts was $128,000.
The belts were shipped from Hong Kong to several addresses in Orlando in three separate shipments. Upon arrival in the country, the belts underwent inspection from CBP import specialists. Because they did not appear to be of the same quality expected from the Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo and Fendi brands, officials suspected them to be counterfeit upon initial inspection. Further inspection found that they were, indeed, counterfeit.
The CBP’s Orlando Area Port Director, Eduardo Oliveros, believes in being vigilant to prevent counterfeit goods from hitting the local economy. Counterfeit products not only hurt the consumers who purchase them unwittingly, but also the businesses that cannot sell the real products for the right price, as well as the economy as a whole. Mr. Oliveros expressed his pride in the work of the CBP officers and import specialists in this particular case.