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Another day, another U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) counterfeit seizure. This time, officers in New Orleans seized more than $83K worth of counterfeit goods in early August.
The counterfeit goods include belts, wallets, backpacks, purses from brands such as Gucci, Hermes and Louis Vuitton. In addition, the shipment also contained 10 brush kits from the MAC brand.
CBP seized the goods under 19 USC 1526e for containing the counterfeit trademarks. If you or someone you know has had their shipment seized – contact David Hsu by phone/text at 832-896-6288, or email at attorney.dave@yahoo.com to discuss your options.
Image of seized disinfecting wipes, source: CBP.gov
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers in Alabama seized over $120,000 worth of disinfecting wipes that were mislabeled and unregistered. The 843 boxes contained 20,016 bottles of disinfectant wipes with no approved markings from the FDA or EPA.
Since June of this year, CBP has seized over 120,000 COVID-19 test kits, 10 million counterfeit face masks, 20,000 chloroquine tablets and over 4,000 tablets of antibiotics.
If you have had your goods seized by Customs, contact David Hsu by phone/text at 832-896-6288 or by email at attorney.dave@yahoo.com.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Indianapolis seized multiple shipments of Zolpidem, 10 milligram tablets, a schedule IV controlled substance used as a sedative.
The packages were sent from the United Kingdom and headed to separate addresses in the US. The shipments were arriving from the United Kingdom and were all headed to separate addresses. The shipper hid the Zolpidem in coffee tins.
If you have had your goods seized by Customs and want to explore your options, contact David Hsu by phone/text at 832-896-6288 or by email at attorney.dave@yahoo.com.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Kentucky seized two shipments containing over 648 counterfeit belts. The above photo provided by CBP shows the belts had the Gucci logo – the shipment also included “Salvatore Ferragamo” belt buckles. If real, CBP says the belts have a retail value of $350,496.
Author’s note – CBP media releases usually go into detail about the description of the goods and the packaging or item quality that resulted in Customs questioning the authenticity of the goods. I believe Customs probably scrutinizes any shipment from Hong Kong that contains clothing or accessories.
If you have had your goods seized by Customs, give me a call, there might be something we can do to limit your legal liability. Call or text me anytime at 832-896-6288 or by email at attorney.dave@yahoo.com.
Another day, another U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) counterfeit seizure – this time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. According to the CBP media release, San Juan Field Operations seized counterfeit jewelry from a shipment originating out of Hong Kong. If genuine, Customs estimated the shipment to be worth approximately $1.2 million.
CBP did not mention the copied brands, but the photo attached to the media release was labeled “Piguet”, perhaps the name found on the watch to copy the “Piaget” brand.
Author’s comments – if the image of the watch attached to the media release is indicative of the products seized, it seems like this shipment probably was not trying to copy any actual luxury brands.
I don’t wear a watch – but looking at the Piaget watches sold online – I don’t see anything closely resembling what is shown in the attached photo. Most Piaget watches I see online look like a typical watchface with dials and easy to read numbers – much different than the “diamond” covered face of the seized watch. My guess is that a manufacturer in Shenzhen created their own brand of watches and needed a name, and therefore took the “Piaget” name and changed a few letters to “Piguet” (which appears more similar to the “Peugeot” car brand.
I understand that Customs is tasked with enforcing registered marks, word marks, trademarks etc., however, is this “Piguet” watch an attempt to counterfeit a real “Piaget” watch? Or is this an instance of a manufacturer taking a brand name, and changing it. I always think back to the old Simpsons episode where Homer buys a “SORNY” TV instead of a real “SONY”.
A quick search on Alibaba shows “Reebow” branded athletic equipment, and “Hommy Tilfiger” duffel bags next to “Carsonkangaroo” branded wallets under a logo silhouette of a kangaroo not closely resembling the Kangol logo.
I think it is arguable these shipments are not counterfeits – someone (not your author) aware of a high-end luxury brand such as Piaget would not confuse a watch branded “Piguet” with a real Piaget.
If you have had your goods seized by Customs, contact David Hsu anytime by phone/text at 832-896-6288. You can also find me on Line, WeChat, WhatsApp, Telegram by the same phone number – or email me at attorney.dave@yahoo.com, would be glad to evaluate your case for free.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati seized a shipment of approximately 15,750 Xanax pills June 30th. The shipment was from Britain and opened for further examination due to x-ray anomalies as a result of a foil lined box. Upon opening the box, they found 63 bottles marked “Xanax XR 2mg”, if authentic, the Xanax pills would have totaled over $230,000.
As you are aware, Xanax is used for the treatment of anxiety and classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance and cannot be shipped to the US without a prescription from a physician. The shipment was addressed to a residence in Texas.
Author’s notes – usually there’s something to do for a seizure from Customs; however in situations where a schedule 4 controlled substance is shipped to an individual in a box meant to hide the contents from x-ray scanners and mailed without a physician’s prescription – there’s probably not much I can do to assist.
The lesson here is to not even take the risk to try and import drugs, especially controlled substances to the US. CBP may refer your case to Homeland Security Investigations and will likely also issue you a civil penalty.
Have you had your good seized? Contact David Hsu by phone/text at 832-896-6288 or email at attorney.dave@yahoo.com for a free consultation.
In late June, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers Kentucky detained and seized a shipment containing over 300 counterfeit items shipped from Hong Kong.
While the outside packing list indicated the contents were belts, CBP officers instead found watches from “Rolex”, “Cartier” and “Panerai Luminor”. The shipment also contained sandals from Tory Burch, earrings from Chanel, Gucci sandals bracelets, LV scarves, Gucci scarves, Chanel Scares and many more luxury branded goods. CBP indicated the shipment contained over $371,365 worth of goods – if authentic.
Author’s note: in general, CBP will detain goods suspected of being counterfeit and then send images or samples of the goods to the trademark holder. If the trademark holder tells Customs the goods are not authentic – CBP will seize them and issue the importer of record a seizure notice.
Also – in addition to seizing the goods for being counterfeit, CBP can also seize any goods that are included in the shipment, but not properly declared or mis-declared on the packing list and entry paperwork.
In general – it is easy to run into Customs problems – before you import, or before you export, contact David Hsu by phone/text anytime at 832-896-6288 or by email at attorney.dave@yahoo.com for a free consultation.
Earlier this past July, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at one of our great nation’s biggest seaport of Los Angeles / Long Beach seized a large shipment of women’s sleepwear containing counterfeit brands such as Gucci, Facebook and Instagram.
2020 is a weird year indeed when we consider Facebook and Instagram to be a luxury brand. If authentic the 16,340 items of seized counterfeit pajamas (called “sleeping dresses”) would be worth an approximate retail value of $5.5 million.
CBP reported the counterfeit goods were concealed inside generic non-branded pajamas which CBP believes was intentionally packaged to avoid detection.
Author’s note – yes, in general if you pack counterfeit goods underneath unbranded goods, or try to conceal a counterfeit logo (such as using black tape to cover a logo), CBP will assume you are aware of the nature of the goods and are attempting to smuggle them into the US in violation of 19 USC 1595a (c)(1)(A), in other words merchandise that “is stolen, smuggled, or clandestinely imported or introduced“.
In addition to violating intellectual property rights of the trademark holder, CBP also claims counterfeit goods may not be in compliance with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requirements for flammability standards of sleepwear.
If you have had your shipment seized for alleged counterfeit violations or seized for alleged violations of CPSC consumer guidelines – contact seizure attorney David Hsu by phone/text at 832-896-6288 or by email at attorney.dave@yahoo.com.
According to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) media release, CBP officers at the Chicago Express Consignment facility seized 450 Apple iPhone cases from Hong Kong. Officers opened the shipment labeled “mobile phone shell” and found the cases for the 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max and the 8 Plus phone models.
CBP officers determined the cases were counterfeit based off bad quality design, materials, packaging and printing. Based off the image attached to this media release, I believe the cases are counterfeits of the Apple OEM cases sold through the website.
If authentic, the value of the cases would retail for about $17,550. If you have had your DHL/UPS/FedEx shipment seized by CBP for alleged counterfeit violations – contact seizure attorney David Hsu 24/7 by phone at 832-896-6288 or by email at attorney.dave@yahoo.com.
According to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) media release, CBP officers in Detroit seized more than a half ton of “salmonella-laced Kratom” at the Fort Street Cargo Facility.
Author’s comment: the original headline was “CBP Seizes Half Ton of Salmonella-Laced Kratom“. Not sure why they used the word “laced” in the headline as lacing something is typically used to mean adding an ingredient to bulk up a drug. I am unsure how a kratom exporter can “lace” kratom with salmonella on purpose or if there would be a benefit to doing so. Additionally, the use of the word “lace” to describe kratom may also be an effort to associate kratom as dangerous as other illegal drugs that are frequently laced such as crack, heroin, PCP, etc.
The media release reports 1,200 pounds of contaminated powder (valued according to CBP at $405,000) was selected for further inspection due to an unusual description and classification discrepancies.
CBP said the kratom “which originated from China, were manifested as botanical soils from Canada, though Officers and specialists believed it to be consistent in appearance to bulk green tea”.
Author’s comment: this is the first time I have heard of kratom from China, maybe it was transhipped from Indonesia? CBP did not indicate the “classification discrepancy” or point out what HTSUS code was used to enter the kratom.
CBP took a sample of the power and sent it to the Food and Drug Administration for lab tests – which confirmed the shipment was kratom but also saw it was contaminated with salmonella. As a result, CBP seized the shipment “due to significant risk to public health and safety”.
Author’s comment: CBP does not specify the import alert on kratom as the basis for seizure. I have not seen the seizure notice (it will only be sent to the importer of record), but it was likely seized for not being described as kratom on the shipping documents.
In the last paragraph of the CBP media release, they write:
Kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, and its leaves are often ingested in the form of tea. Depending on dosage, Kratom can produce both stimulant and sedative effects. Kratom is not a scheduled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, though the Drug Enforcement Administration currently lists it as a Drug or Chemical of Concern.
It is interesting they do not mention the 2016 import alert regarding kratom. If you have had your shipment of kratom (mitragyna speciosa) seized by CBP, contact David Hsu, 24/7 by phone/text at 832-896-6288 or by email at attorney.dave@yahoo.com.
