$1 billion worth of fake designer goods seized in California so far this year

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KTLA) – Officers in California seized $1 billion price of counterfeit merchandise in 2022, marking a brand new document.

Authorities with the Los Angeles/Lengthy Seaside Seaport hit the historic mark on Sept. 15, with a number of months nonetheless left within the calendar 12 months.

The preferred counterfeit gadgets included attire, equipment, purses, wallets, footwear, watches, jewellery, and shopper electronics.

Photographs launched from the bust featured a bounty of faux designer items together with Nike Dunks, Gucci slides, Burberry scarves, purses from Chanel and Louis Vuitton, and loads of faux attire, cologne, wallets and extra.

The $1 billion quantity displays the estimated complete producer’s steered retail worth of the seized items in the event that they have been real.

Authorities say the accessibility of on-line purchasing has made it fairly simple to promote counterfeit designer items.

“Traditionally, unlawful actors have offered counterfeit merchandise on illegitimate web sites and in underground shops,” authorities mentioned. “Nevertheless, the rise of e-commerce affords a haven for criminals who are actually in a position to disguise behind seemingly respectable listings on well-known web sites.”

Involved about scammers? At all times observe the guidelines under when making big-ticket purchases, on-line or in any other case:

• Buy items immediately from approved retailers.
• When purchasing on-line, learn vendor critiques and examine for a working U.S. cellphone quantity and an handle that can be utilized to contact the vendor.
• If the worth appears too good to be true, it in all probability is.
• Counterfeit gadgets are sometimes inferior high quality and should characteristic poor/uneven stitching, fragile materials, and improperly sized or designed logos.
• Peeling labels, low-quality ink or printing errors on the packaging are additionally indicators.

Donald R. Kusser, Port Director of the Los Angeles/Lengthy Seaside Seaport, mentioned the $1 billion milestone “asserts the distinctive ability, vigilance and eager focus of our commerce enforcement groups at our nation’s largest seaport advanced.”

“Daily they shield American customers from the fraudulent traps unscrupulous smugglers place on unsuspecting consumers,” Kusser mentioned.