Nearly $160K in counterfeit seizures made through Cincinnati Port on river

The Ohio River is seen Feb. 17, 2023 looking at Cincinnati from Covington, Ky. MADDY SCHMIDT/WCPO

The Ohio River is seen Feb. 17, 2023 looking at Cincinnati from Covington, Ky. MADDY SCHMIDT/WCPO

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection intensified inspections on shipments moving through the Cincinnati Port of Entry in July and seized 100 shipments containing counterfeit merchandise.

Special Operation Home Plate took place July 10-14 and had CBP officers “focused on counterfeit merchandise bearing protected brands or trademarked logos of teams within Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), and the National Football League (NFL),” CBP said.

The merchandise seized had a value of $155,919, according to the Department of Homeland Security. In addition 34 shipments were abandoned by the importers. Most products were from China and Hong Kong and some were from Mexico, Guatemala and Canada.

“This operation helps CBP protect U.S. citizens and economic interests and supports the agency’s mission of enhancing the nation’s economic prosperity,” said Cincinnati Port Director Norma Porco. “Our officers are trained to identify and interdict high-risk packages containing fraudulent and illegal merchandise, especially for priority trade issues such as intellectual property rights enforcement.”

A release from the DPH says “In Fiscal Year 2022, the People’s Republic of China remained the primary source economy for counterfeit and pirated goods seized in the U.S., accounting for a total estimated MSRP value of almost $1.8 billion (US),” or approximately 60% of the total estimated MSRP value of all IPR seizures.

“Legal trade is the backbone of American revenue, and illicit and counterfeit products often fund criminal activity,” said Director of Field Operations for the Chicago Field Office, LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke. “CBP continues to mitigate risks posed by illegal imports such as these by protecting the intellectual property rights of Americans and American businesses.”

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