LOS ANGELES - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers recently seized a shipment of counterfeit designer perfumes at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport with an estimated value, if genuine, of more than $366,000, authorities said today.
The counterfeit perfumes were found in a shipment of items being imported from Hong Kong, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“Officers at the LA/LB Seaport examined a shipment with over 1,000 cartons manifested as cellular phone accessories ...'' according to a CBP statement.
“During the inspection, CBP officers discovered over 80 cartons that actually contained counterfeit perfumes violating the intellectual property rights of some notable companies, such as Dior, Chanel and Paco Rabanne,'' the statement said.
CBP Import Specialists from the Consumer Products Mass Merchandising Center determined the perfumes infringed on various trademarks and were counterfeit, violating United States laws. In total, CBP seized 3,738 bottles of counterfeit perfumes.
“Part of our critical CBP mission is to facilitate legitimate trade with a goal of protecting American consumers from dangerous products and to create a level playing field for American businesses,'' said Carlos C. Martel, director of the CBP office of field operations in Los Angeles.
“In this case, we have succeeded in our mission by protecting the American consumer from the potential harm associated with counterfeit perfumes, which can sometimes contain unknown chemicals, and by protecting the intellectual property rights of legitimate businesses,'' Martel said.
Other types of counterfeit goods that can pose significant health and safety concerns include pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, bicycle and motorcycle helmets, medical devices, and supplements.
Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection