U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Pittsburgh seized a shipment of counterfeit designer handbags, jewelry, and scarves valued at over $300,000 on January 29. The items, which arrived from China via air cargo, were intended for delivery to an address in Pittsburgh.
The shipment included products labeled as Chanel, Christian Dior, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, and Van Cleef & Arpels. CBP officers inspected the parcel on December 1 and suspected the goods were counterfeit. They detained the shipment for further investigation and submitted documentation and photographs to trade experts at CBP’s Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Center of Excellence and Expertise. After working with trademark holders, the experts confirmed that the items were counterfeit.
“Unfortunately, today’s global marketplace has provided an attractive platform for bad actors in China to export their illegal and dangerous knockoff goods to unwitting Americans,” said Jason Hamilton, CBP’s port director at the Port of Pittsburgh. “Make no mistake, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers will resolutely protect the homeland, American consumers and businesses by intercepting these, poor quality, fake goods.”
According to CBP officials, trade in counterfeit consumer goods is illegal because it threatens consumer health and safety while also diverting revenue from trademark holders and tax authorities. Counterfeit goods may also be produced in facilities that use forced labor or substandard materials that could pose risks to buyers.
CBP reported that during fiscal year 2025 it seized more than 78 million counterfeit items with an estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price exceeding $7.3 billion if genuine.
The agency advises consumers to purchase products from reputable retailers to avoid counterfeit goods. Information about intellectual property rights enforcement is available on CBP’s IPR webpage as well as its IPR Dashboard and Annual IPR Seizures Reports.
Trademark and copyright owners can register their intellectual property with CBP through its e-Recordation program (https://iprr.cbp.gov/s/). Individuals who have information about counterfeit merchandise being imported into the United States are encouraged to submit tips anonymously through CBP’s e-Allegation Program.
CBP officers screen international travelers and cargo at ports of entry across the nation for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, prohibited agriculture products, invasive pests—and counterfeit consumer goods—to help protect public safety and economic interests.
More details about CBP's operations can be found at www.CBP.gov.
