CBP seizes more than $100K in fake soccer jerseys

Mexico lost to Brazil Monday, and while the sadness may be real for some fans, their “El Tri” jerseys may not be.

Customs And Border Protection officers said four shipments of counterfeit Mexican national team soccer jerseys were intercepted last week.

Ruben Jauregui, a CBP spokesman, said the boxes of bundled jerseys were sent to three different El Paso addresses. They have an estimated value of $66,390.

“This shipment came from Hong Kong,” Jauregui said. “We see them coming from overseas.”

In the same week, an additional four shipments worth of jerseys for Mexico, Germany and Brazil, worth $47,340, were confiscated. Combined, that’s more than $114,000.

Jauregui said sales of counterfeit goods ramp up during sporting events like the World Cup. Counterfeit goods aren’t limited to jerseys. Merchandise like shoes, jewelry and make-up are often imitated, officials said.

Nearly 400 seizures of counterfeit items have been made in the El Paso sector this year.

“Our responsibility is at the ports of entry as first line of defense,”said Jauregui. “Bridge of the Americas and Ysleta.

We are protecting both the consumer as well as the actual company.”

CBP reports in the 2017 fiscal year, seizures skyrocketed. Across the United States, more than 34,000 shipments were intercepted.

The agency reported an eight percent increase from 2016. The total value of the seized merchandise would come out to $1.2 billion had it been real.

“You just never know with the dangers are with what you buy,” said Jauregui.

If you suspect fraud or illegal trade activity call 1-800-BE-ALERT or at the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center to report it.