CBP Officers, Laredo Import Specialist Enforcement Team Seize Counterfeit Wallets and Radios Valued at More Than $551,000
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Aug 3, 2011, 0 Comments
Courtesy Raul Leal,
LAREDO, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and import specialists from Laredo port of entry recently seized a shipment of counterfeit wallets and radios valued at more than $551,000 that allegedly infringed on three trademarks recorded with CBP.
A CBP officer selected an in-bond shipment containing wallets and radios for an enforcement examination. During an examination conducted at Colombia-Solidarity Bridge , CBP officers discovered possible trademark violations with the merchandise and detained the shipment pending trademark infringement verification. CBP import specialists from the Laredo Import Specialist Enforcement Team (ISET) conducted further research and confirmed that the wallets infringed on the Burberry trademark and the radios infringed on the SD and Kindle trademarks. All three brands are trademark recorded with CBP.
On July 14 CBP’s ISET seized the shipment of 1,464 wallets and 110 radios. If the trademarks had been authentic, the total manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the merchandise would have been more than $551,000. “Our CBP officers and import specialists from the ISET have once again teamed up to detect and seize an in-bond shipment with a significant retail value for alleged infringement on three trademarks recorded with CBP,” said Joe Uribe, acting CBP port director, Laredo. “Enforcing intellectual and property rights law and protecting legitimate trademark holders, and by extension the consumers, from increased costs and retail prices due to traffic in counterfeit merchandise is a priority trade issue for CBP.”
