Jamaica, NY–On November 24, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New York hosted a joint media event highlighting counterfeit goods. Just in time for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the rest of the holiday shopping madness, HSI and CBP offered a presentation about counterfeit goods and how consumers can protect themselves from “Knock-offs” of brand-name items.
“It is important to shop from reputable sources. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is,” said Troy Miller, Director of CBP’s New York Field Office.
CBP seizes a wide variety of counterfeit products from all over the world every year. In FY 2019, CBP seized over 27,000 shipments of counterfeit goods worth over $1.5 billion, had the goods been genuine.
“Consumers who purchase ‘knock-off’ or imitation items may be surprised to know the sale of these items actually contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to fuel a black market economy run by criminal networks who are also responsible for the smuggling and distribution of narcotics, and other illicit activity.” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh.
he theft of intellectual property and the trade in substandard and often dangerous goods threaten America’s innovation economy and consumer health and safety, and generates proceeds that fund criminal activities and organized crime.
