Release Date
Tue, 04/28/2020
MIAMI– U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and import specialists assigned tothe Miami SeaportPort intercepted 1,440 cartons, containing more than 60,000bottles of imported perfume bearing counterfeit trademarks, just ahead of Mother’s Day. If genuine, the seized perfumes would have an estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price of more than $1.7 million.
CBP on April 9, inspected a shipment from China seizing counterfeit perfume brands under protectedtrademarks belonging to Christian Dior and CHANEL.
“This interception of counterfeit goods demonstrates the vigilance and expertise our CBP officers and import specialists’ have in detecting, intercepting and seizing dangerous imports.”said Jorge L. Roig, CBP Port Director, Miami Seaport.“Importing products that violate one’s intellectual property rights and the trade in fake goods threaten America’s economic vitality and national security, and the American people’s health and safety.”
Counterfeiters mislead consumers by creating products that are confusingly similar to the real commodity. Upon first glance you see the name brand packaging, both box and perfume bottle have colors resembling those of the genuine products. Oftentimes the perfumes state they are manufactured in France to emphasize a more luxurious product, but upon closer look, they are actually made in China.
Fragrance is absorbed by the body; therefore, consumers need to be aware that wearing counterfeit perfume could expose them to potentially hazardous chemicals. Counterfeit fragrances are commonly bought online and in flea-markets and not from the manufacturer’s authorized vendors.
With an estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price ofover$48million, pharmaceuticals and personal care products representedsixpercentof the total goods seized by CBP in fiscal year 2019. Infiscal year 2019approximately$1.5billionworth of counterfeit goods originating overseas were seized by CBP. China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey and Canada were the top five countries of origination for counterfeit goods seized by CBP.
CBP's border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations. Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders, or by visiting CBP.gov.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.
