Courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection,

WASHINGTON — U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations today announced the comprehensive results of ongoing efforts to protect America from the illicit trade in counterfeit and pirated goods during Fiscal Year 2013.  CBP and HSI are the components within the Department of Homeland Security responsible for the enforcement of intellectual property rights.

The number of IPR seizures increased nearly 7% from 22,848 in FY 2012 to 24,361 in FY 2013.  The MSRP of seized goods increased from $1.26 billion in FY 2012 to $1.74 billion in FY 2013.  DHS averaged slightly over 66 seizures per day, with an average MSRP of each seizure being slightly more than $71,500.   

“Together with our IPR partners, CBP continues to guard the nation’s borders against counterfeit products,” said CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske.  “These products are not only unsafe and dangerous to consumers, but they also pose a threat to the economic security of our country.”

“These numbers are the result of the hard work of the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security and the increased collaboration of our agencies through the IPR Center,” said ICE’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Thomas S. Winkowski. “But a great deal more has to be done to protect the public from the health and safety threat that counterfeits pose to our society. We will continue to pursue these criminals and educate the public about the real threats that intellectual property crimes pose.”

The National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Center continued its initiative Operation “In Our Sites” in FY 2013 to shutdown rogue websites trading in counterfeit and pirated goods.  HSI seized control of 1,413 websites trading in these illicit goods in FY 2013.  Consumers are reminded to remain vigilant when making online purchases. 

The National IPR Center is one of the U.S. government’s key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy.

Working in close coordination with the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property, the IPR Center harnesses the tactical expertise of its 21 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to intellectual property theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public’s health and safety and the U.S. economy. Collaboration through the IPR Center led to 692 arrests, 401 criminal indictments, and 451 criminal convictions for criminal IPR infringement activities in FY 2013. 

While the People’s Republic of China remains the primary source economy for counterfeit and pirated goods seized, with a total value of $1.1 billion, representing 68% of all IPR seizures by MSRP in FY 2013, DHS made seizures from 73 additional economies during FY 2013, including Hong Kong, India, Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam. 

CBP is committed to seeking global solutions to the global trafficking in counterfeit and pirated goods.  Notably, CBP engaged in a joint enforcement operation with China resulting in the removal of 243,000 items trading between the countries, and also concluded joint enforcement operations with France and Germany. 

CBP and HSI protect businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive IPR enforcement program.  CBP targets and seizes imports of counterfeit and pirated goods, and enforces exclusion orders on patent-infringing and other IPR violative goods.

Additional information is available on http://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/ipr/statistics.