Last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati seized 85 shipments containing over 4,000 pieces of counterfeit sports merchandise and memorabilia. The goods, primarily from China and Hong Kong, would have had a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) exceeding $1.43 million if they were genuine.
During the week of January 27, CBP officers conducted an operation focusing on counterfeit sports merchandise such as jerseys, hats, coins, jewelry, footwear, and bags. Of the seized shipments, 30 contained counterfeit NFL, MLB, and MLS jerseys valued at $232,000 if authentic. These items infringed on trademarks of teams including the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Al-Nassr FC, Atlanta Braves, and Seattle Mariners.
LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director of Field Operations at the Chicago Field Office stated: “I’m extremely proud of our officers’ determination in stopping illicit shipments and our commitment to protecting the American economy.” She emphasized that such shipments deceive sports fans into paying high prices for inferior products.
One shipment included 156 counterfeit NFL Baltimore Ravens jerseys destined for Jensen Beach, Florida. Officers identified them as fake due to factors like routing and materials used. If genuine, their MSRP would have been over $27,000. Another shipment intercepted contained 80 counterfeit NFL Las Vegas Raiders memorabilia coins headed to Eglin AFB in Florida; these would have been worth $3,200 if real.
The CBP’s Centers for Excellence and Expertise confirmed all seized items were counterfeit. Cincinnati Port Director Eric Zizelman remarked: “CBP promotes fair and compliant trade... Our officers here in Cincinnati work 24 hours a day detecting and intercepting threats on American consumers.”
CBP advises consumers to be cautious when shopping online to avoid counterfeit goods which can pose dangers. For more information about counterfeits or to report suspected violations or illegal trade activity contact CBP through their reporting systems or visit The Truth Behind Counterfeits page.
Follow CBP updates on X @CBPChicago and @DFOChicago or visit their YouTube channel for more information on how they secure national borders.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is America's largest law enforcement organization tasked with border management across land, air, and sea domains ensuring economic prosperity through innovation and collaboration.
