CHAMPLAIN, N.Y. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Champlain Port of Entry, Cargo Facility, seized multiple shipments of jewelry for trademark infringement.
From December 2024 to January 6, 2025, CBP officers inspected several separate shipments which contained various pieces of what appeared to be high-end jewelry. After a thorough examination of the merchandise, the jewelry was determined to be counterfeit Tiffany & Co. pieces. All the items were seized for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) violations, and if genuine would have an estimated total Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) value of approximately $29,989.
“CBP continues to play a crucial role in protecting the consumer and businesses from the importation of fraudulent merchandise,” said Champlain Port Director Steve Bronson. “I’m proud of the outstanding job our officers and import specialists do in targeting these shipments and identifying these violations.”
CBP has the authority to detain, seize, forfeit, and ultimately destroy imported merchandise if it bears an infringing trademark or copyright that has been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office and has subsequently been recorded with CBP through the e-Recordation program https://iprr.cbp.gov/s/. Other violations can include misclassification of merchandise, false country-of-origin markings, health and safety issues, and valuation issues.
Trade in counterfeit and pirated goods threatens America’s innovation economy, the competitiveness of our businesses, the livelihoods of U.S. workers, and, in some cases, national security and the health and safety of consumers. It is also against the law to import counterfeit or pirated merchandise and individual consumers may be liable for a fine even if they did not intend to import counterfeit or pirated merchandise.
If you have information about counterfeit merchandise being illegally imported into the U.S., CBP encourages you to submit an E-Allegation. The E-Allegation reporting tool provides a means for the public to anonymously report to CBP any suspected violations of trade laws or regulations related to the importation of goods into the U.S.
CBP has established an educational initiative to raise consumer awareness about the consequences and dangers that can be associated with the purchase of counterfeit and pirated goods. Information about the Truth Behind Counterfeits campaign can be found at The Truth Behind Counterfeits | U.S. Customs and Border Protection (cbp.gov)
Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @CBPBuffalo and @DFOBuffalo
