WILMINGTON, DE — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Wilmington have intercepted a shipment of counterfeit designer handbags, valued at over $151,000 if they had been genuine.
This action marks a significant step in the ongoing fight against the illegal trade of counterfeit goods, which undermines legitimate businesses and poses potential risks to consumers. The shipment, originating from China and destined for an address in Newark, Delaware, was initially inspected on September 4. It included 26 handbags purporting to represent high-end brands such as Chanel, Goyard, Gucci, Hermès, Loewe, and Louis Vuitton.
CBP officers, suspecting the items might be counterfeit, detained the shipment for further evaluation. In collaboration with trade experts at the Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Center of Excellence and Expertise, CBP conducted a thorough analysis of the handbags. Their expertise confirmed that the items were indeed counterfeit, leading to their official seizure on the following Friday.
This seizure follows an earlier incident where CBP officers in Wilmington confiscated 277 counterfeit Lululemon belt bags , valued at nearly $13,000. The persistence of counterfeit goods in the market remains a pressing concern, as such products can not only deprive legitimate trademark holders and governments of revenue but may also fund transnational crime and potentially endanger consumers due to inferior manufacturing standards. Erik Kelling, C.