Customs Bust at Port of L.A. Nets $1.3 Million in Counterfeit Goods
Customs officials inspecting two cargo containers at the Port of Los Angeles recently came across hundreds of counterfeit hats, shoes, blankets, wallets, wearing apparel and jewelry all bearing designer names.
The discoveries were made on two separate days, April 8 and 11, but all the merchandise was sent from the same company in China to the same buyer in Texas, said Christina Gamez, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Gamez did not reveal the name of the supplier or the importer.
Nor did she say why these two particular containers were singled out for inspection. She noted there are a number of factors considered when deciding what cargo gets scrutinized by customs officials.
The value of the apprehended merchandise was placed at $1.3 million, but if they had been sold as authentic items, they would have fetched $38 million, customs officials said.
The counterfeit items were bearing labels such as Burberry, Giorgio Armani, Baby Phat and Dolce & Gabbana, as well as other prominent names.
This is the second major load of counterfeit goods that customs has intercepted recently. Last month, customs officials at the Port of Los Angeles discovered a container of fake handbags valued at $500,000 but with a full-market value of $22 million if sold as originals. Labels on the purses included Gucci, Chanel and Coach. —Deborah Belgum
