U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Laredo Port of Entry on April 25 intercepted and seized a shipment of counterfeit cigarettes valued at more than $729,000, the agency said.
After a shipment of cigarettes from Vietnam arrived at the U.S. at Miami Seaport, CBP officers placed a hold on the shipment and detained it once it arrived in Laredo, Texas, in early March.
After conducting a thorough examination and review of the shipment, CBP said its officers and import specialists assigned to the Agriculture Center for Excellence and Expertise (CEE) determined that 17,500 cartons of cigarettes bore counterfeit marks.
“Our CBP officers and import specialists continue to maintain their vigilance and exercise due diligence to ensure that fake goods do not enter U.S. commerce,” said Laredo Port of Entry Director Albert Flores. “They utilize their training, experience and information from the registered trademark owners to authenticate imported merchandise and when they encounter counterfeits to promptly detain and seize such items, thereby protecting the U.S. economy and the consumer.”
The commercial importation of cigarettes falls under the import/entry team assigned to the Agriculture CEE. The Laredo Port of Entry has representation covering all 10 CEEs located onsite at the port.
CBP has the authority to detain, seize, forfeit and ultimately destroy imported merchandise if it bears an infringing trademark or copyright that has been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office and has subsequently been recorded with CBP through the e-recordation program.
The CBP said other violations can include misclassification of merchandise, false country-of-origin markings, health and safety issues and valuation issues.
“Trade in counterfeit and pirated goods threatens America’s innovation economy, the competitiveness of our businesses, the livelihoods of U.S. workers, and, in some cases, national security and the health and safety of consumers,” CBP said. “It is also against the law to import counterfeit or pirated merchandise and individual consumers may be liable for a fine even if they did not intend to import counterfeit or pirated merchandise.”
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