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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Pittsburgh have seized counterfeit designer merchandise that would have been worth over $300,000 if authentic. The seizure, which took place on January 29, included fake luxury items that had arrived from China in early December.
CBP officers initially inspected the suspicious package on December 1, according to a release issued Tuesday. The parcel contained what appeared to be high-end designer products bearing brand names including Chanel, Christian Dior, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, and Van Cleef & Arpels.
The counterfeit items included five handbags, five scarves, three bracelets, three necklaces, and a set of earrings. If genuine, the merchandise would have been valued at precisely $307,870.
"Unfortunately, today's global marketplace has provided an attractive platform for bad actors in China to export their illegal and dangerous knockoff goods to unwitting Americans," said **Jason Hamilton**, CBP's port director at the Port of Pittsburgh. He emphasized that CBP officers will "resolutely protect the homeland, American consumers and businesses by intercepting these poor quality, fake goods."
After detaining the parcel, CBP officers submitted documentation and photographs to trade experts at the agency's Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Center of Excellence and Expertise. These specialists worked with trademark holders to verify that the products were indeed counterfeit and subject to seizure under CBP's statutory authority.
The agency warns that counterfeit goods threaten consumer health and safety while diverting revenue from legitimate trademark holders and tax authorities. During fiscal year 2025, CBP seized more than 78 million counterfeit items nationwide with an estimated manufacturer's suggested retail price exceeding $7.3 billion if genuine.
Federal agents remind consumers to purchase luxury brands only from reputable sources to avoid counterfeit products that may be produced in facilities using forced labor or substandard materials.