INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. – A shipment of counterfeit goods worth over $1.7 million was seized by U.S. officials at the International Falls port of entry Thursday.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered large quantities of goods in violation of intellectual property rights regulations after inspecting a rail container destined for Ranier, Minnesota.
That included nearly 15,000 packages of counterfeit batteries, over 46,000 flags, and nearly 10,000 hats, with a total estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,747,000.
“The enforcement of trade laws at U.S. ports of entry remains a high priority for us,” said Anthony Jackson, International Falls Port Director with the CBP. “Counterfeiting adversely affects the ability of lawful copyright holders to profit from their original ideas. Counterfeiting also harms consumers because manufacturers of forged products have little motivation to use safe, high-quality materials in their products.”
