CBP seizes fake Super Bowl rings in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials recently seized a shipment of 108 counterfeit Super Bowl rings that, if authentic, had a retail value of $1,080,000.

Officials said the seizure stemmed from an express consignment parcel that arrived in June from Hong Kong manifested as alloy rings. CBP officers noted the poor craftsmanship and detained the rings to verify authenticity with the National Football League (NFL), the trademark holder. The NFL later confirmed the rings as fakes.

“Customs and Border Protection officers are like offensive linemen in that both are on the frontline and work hard to protect something important,” Casey Durst, CBP director of Field Operations in Baltimore, said. “CBP officers intercept counterfeit products at our nation’s Ports of Entry before they could harm U.S. consumers or businesses. We will remain vigilant and continue to advance our detection capabilities in order to secure our homeland and keep our communities safe and our economy prosperous.”

The CBP has designated Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement as a Priority Trade Issue, officials said, detailing importation of counterfeit merchandise can cause significant revenue loss, damage the economy and threaten the health and safety of American people.

In Fiscal Year 2017, it is estimated the number of IPR seizures increased 8 percent to 34,143 from 31,560 in FY 2016 while the total estimated retail value of the seized goods, had they been genuine, decreased to $1.2 billion from $1.38 billion in FY 2016.