More than $1M in counterfeit toys seized at Port of New York/Newark
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of New York/Newark have seized more than $1 million in counterfeit toys ahead of the holidays, authorities announced Monday.
A total of 141,112 UNO card games; 9,600 LOL Surprise! Under Wraps balls; and 1,980 LOL Surprise! Under Wraps capsule toys were recovered, officials said, and if authentic, they would have a manufacturer's suggested retail price of approximately $1.3 million.
CBP officers inspected the shipment in late November after it arrived from China.
Officers then submitted digital images of the toys to CBP's Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Center for Excellence and Expertise, the agency's trade experts.
Specialists worked with the trademark holders and determined the toys to be counterfeit.
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CBP completed the seizure on December 9, and Homeland Security Investigations agents in Newark continue to investigate.
"Once again, Customs and Border Protection has demonstrated its commitment to protecting the American consumer against the proliferation of substandard and potentially unsafe counterfeit consumer goods," New York Field Office Director Troy Miller said. "Enforcing intellectual property rights laws is a CBP priority trade mission. We will continue to work closely with our trade and law enforcement partners to identify and seize counterfeit merchandise that could potentially harm our Nation's consumers and businesses."
The manufacture and sale of counterfeit goods rob legitimate businesses of revenue, deprive American workers of jobs, and pose health and safety threats to U.S. consumers, officials said. Oftentimes, the proceeds from counterfeit merchandise sales support other nefarious and illicit businesses.
On a typical day in 2019, CBP officers reportedly seized $4.3 million worth of products with IPR violations.
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