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Timeline of Actions Taken to Protect Consumers: Accessible Version

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Oct. 28, 2022

As the 2022 World Series presented by Capital One gets underway this week, fans are heading to Houston and Philadelphia to support their teams and purchase officially licensed gear and memorabilia. With high demand for merchandise during the Series, the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), join MLB in cautioning fans to be on the lookout for counterfeiters attempting to sell unauthorized, knockoff products and tickets.

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Sep. 14, 2022
IPR Center partners with University of Washington in fight against wildlife, natural capital trafficking

Since 2015, HSI has worked with UW-CEFS to obtain samples of seized ivory for research and to determine the origins of the poached ivory while establishing linkages to past seizures, post analysis, from Africa and Asia, which further aids HSI’s ability to link multiple ivory seizures to their traffickers. HSI attachés in Singapore, Angola, Cote D’ Ivoire, Thailand, Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania, have participated in joint ivory DNA sampling operations with UW and host country officials.

HSI and UW-CEFS have most recently expanded their analytical efforts to include other forms of environmental contraband, such as pangolin scales, lion bone, rhino horn and illegally harvested timber, which are increasingly commingled with ivory shipments.

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University of Washington Center for Environmental Science

Jun. 17, 2022

Large sporting events are prime targets for bad actors who are extremely savvy and often set up fake websites or e-commerce marketplaces with the sole intent of scamming sports fans.

Here are a few tips for sports fans to keep in mind when making purchases to avoid being victimized:

  • Shop only at trustworthy retail locations, such as the official team stores, rather than buying items from street vendors, flea markets, online auctions or other questionable sources.
  • When purchasing merchandise online, be aware that criminals often use legit product photos on their websites despite selling fraudulent products. Consumers are advised not to buy expensive items from third party websites.
  • Only buy event tickets and/or collectibles from trustworthy sources.
  • If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. While some counterfeiters may attract fans with a low-price tag or 2-for-1 deal, just as many try to legitimize their merchandise with a higher price point.
  • Look out for ripped tags, poor quality, sloppy stitching, and irregular markings on apparel.
  • Check statements – keep a record of purchases and copies of confirmation pages to compare against bank statements. If there is a discrepancy, report it immediately.
Jun. 3, 2022
IPR Center, NBA warn Warriors and Celtics fans of fake merchandise, tickets during 2022 NBA Finals

To avoid being victimized by counterfeiters, HSI and the NBA encourages fans to:

  • Shop at NBA-authorized retail locations, such as the Chase Center, TD Garden, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lids, and NBAStore.com, rather than street vendors, flea markets or other questionable sources.
  • Look for the official NBA hologram sticker or holographic hangtag and a sewn-in or screen-printed label identifying the name of the NBA licensee (e.g., Nike, Fanatics, New Era, Mitchell & Ness).
  • Check for ripped tags, irregular markings, or misspellings on apparel.
  • Beware of vendors offering counterfeit paper tickets for sale. Only digital tickets will be issued to the 2022 NBA Finals in Boston and San Francisco, and tickets should be purchased via the NBA Events App and NBAEvents.com.

Throughout this year’s NBA Finals, the IPR Center is joining the NBA in working closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who will be enforcing laws prohibiting the sale of counterfeit NBA merchandise.

Apr. 22, 2022
IPR Center Acting Director Ricardo Mayoral and Brad Buckles, the RIAA’s Chief Content Protection Officer
IPR Center Acting Director Ricardo Mayoral and Brad Buckles, the RIAA’s Chief Content Protection Officer

Signing marks effort to share information, conduct outreach and education, and collaborate on enforcement priorities, new initiatives

“Investigations into illicit streaming services are extremely complex; these services are typically operated from abroad through multi-faceted schemes that touch numerous countries,” said IPR Center Acting Director Ricardo Mayoral. “Because of this complexity, our partnership with the RIAA brings us one step closer toward dismantling criminal enterprises that think they are above the law, attempting to use the internet to hide illicit activity.”
Apr. 11, 2022

Businesses conspired with Chinese billionaire to defraud investors by inflating value of China-based company via sham sales of aluminum in the US

Special agents from HSI teamed with industry, CBP, Los Angeles metropolitan area police officers, and other public-private sector partners to identify online marketplaces, flea markets, retail outlets, pop-up shops and street vendors selling counterfeit goods during the weeks leading up to Super Bowl LVI (56). They seized items such as fake jerseys, hats, rings, t-shirts, jackets, tickets, souvenirs, and thousands of other sports related memorabilia prepared to be marketed as legitimate, authentic items.

Feb. 10, 2022
The IPR Center, the NFL, CBP, the Los Angeles Sheriff Department and ICE HSI announced that more than 267, 511 counterfeit sports-related items, worth an estimated $97.8 million, were seized during Operation Team Player.
The IPR Center, the NFL, CBP, the Los Angeles Sheriff Department and ICE HSI announced that more than 267, 511 counterfeit sports-related items, worth an estimated $97.8 million, were seized during Operation Team Player.

Special agents from HSI teamed with industry, CBP, Los Angeles metropolitan area police officers, and other public-private sector partners to identify online marketplaces, flea markets, retail outlets, pop-up shops and street vendors selling counterfeit goods during the weeks leading up to Super Bowl LVI (56). They seized items such as fake jerseys, hats, rings, t-shirts, jackets, tickets, souvenirs, and thousands of other sports related memorabilia prepared to be marketed as legitimate, authentic items.

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Feb. 7, 2022

Key illegal piracy operator, SPARKS Group’s George Bridi is sentenced, marking successful result in “Operation Intangibles.”

The IPR Center, in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), leveraged their vast authorities and international law enforcement partnerships to intercept and dismantle this criminal organization’s cyber piracy network and arrest those allegedly responsible. With these actions, the servers that were the pipeline for wholesale theft of intellectual property are now out of service.

Feb. 3, 2022

Special agents at the forefront of search for human trafficking victims and fake merchandise

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is working with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to provide essential public safety measures in and around the Los Angeles area. Measures include, but are not limited to, investigating human trafficking and intellectual property rights violations. The goal is to help address criminal threats the public, the National Football League, and the city of Inglewood may face leading up to and throughout Super Bowl LVI week, between Feb. 6-13.

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IPR Center seizes $97.8M in counterfeit sports merchandise during annual Operation Team Player

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Oct. 29, 2021

A Chinese appliance manufacturer and two of its subsidiaries have agreed to resolve criminal charges for failing to notify the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that millions of dehumidifiers they sold to U.S. consumers were defective and could catch fire.

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Oct. 21, 2021

The shipment consisted of 295 packages of Lagori 7 Stones toys.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) warns consumers to be extra diligent while shopping online for children’s toys after Baltimore CBP officers seized a shipment of toys recently that were coated in unsafe levels of lead, cadmium and barium. CBP officers and a Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) compliance investigator initially inspected the toys on July 16. The shipment of seven boxes arrived from China and included 295 packages of Lagori 7 Stones, a popular children’s game in India where children throw a ball at seven stacked square “stones.” CBP detained the shipment on August 24 and submitted nine samples to the CPSC lab for analysis.

Oct. 21, 2021

This knock-off jewelry was part of the 806 pieces of counterfeit  consumer goods that CBP seized.

Shipments with a voluminous amount of counterfeit consumer goods are usually transported in maritime cargo, so it was a bit surprising when Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers encountered two women who arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport recently from Qatar with 806 counterfeit items packed into 21 checked suitcases. The 806 items, which included fake designer brand jewelry, watches, clothes, shoes, sunglasses and handbags, under the brand names Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, Hermes, Prada, and Versace, among others, would have had a combined manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $1,065,779, if authentic.

Oct. 4, 2021

A Chinese national who participated in a multimillion-dollar scheme to manufacture, ship and market counterfeit laptop computer batteries and other electronics made in China was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison.

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Sep. 13, 2021

Louisville CBP seized  32 shipments containing  2,168 counterfeit watches worth an estimated value of  $57.84 million.

One of the most common counterfeited items that is seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers are watches. On Friday, September 10, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to the Port of Louisville seized 32 separate shipments containing counterfeit designer watches worth $57.84 million.

Aug. 31, 2021

HSI Nogales Task Force officers seized 6,628 pieces of attire, with an MSRP value of $10,483,082.

In a joint effort, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Aug. 6, seized nearly $10.5 million in counterfeit apparel. HSI Nogales Task Force officers seized 6,628 pieces of attire, with an MSRP value of $10,483,082. In April, the Nogales Trade Enforcement Coordination Center initiated an operation targeting trade exports from China, Panama and Vietnam. Three months later, an in-bond shipment from China was referred for inspection at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. The inspection resulted in the discovery of apparel bearing protected trademarks from Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Dior and Disney. Many of the products appeared to be poor quality with inconsistencies and stitching irregularities, so the merchandise was detained pending authentication and valuation from the trademark holders.

Aug. 19, 2021

HSI, partners seize over $13 million in counterfeit designer merchandise

Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assisted their law enforcement partners execute a state warrant that resulted in the seizure of more than $13 million in counterfeit designer goods.

Apr. 6, 2021
Seized items

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas special agents seized $1.3 million in counterfeit goods April 2, during the First Monday Trade Days market in Canton, Texas. Over 1,000 items were confiscated, including several boxes of luxury designer goods such as high-end purses, caps, shoes and sunglasses.

Nov. 4, 2020

ICE HSI investigation seizes $16.7 million in counterfeit drugs, products

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans seized 51,000 counterfeit items valued at more than $16.7 million during a holiday-related intellectual property rights surge operation. The HSI-led initiative, dubbed Operation Safety Claus, was supported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, with support from the U.S. Attorney Eastern District of Louisiana. The coordinated federal law enforcement operation focused on interrupting counterfeit efforts in the New Orleans metro area during the holiday shopping season.

Dec. 19, 2019

A San Gabriel Valley man was arrested today on federal criminal charges that he participated in a $23.8 million scheme to manufacture and ship counterfeit laptop computer batteries and other electronics from China to the United States, where the bogus batteries were sold to unsuspecting buyers in online marketplaces.

Dec. 19, 2019

Zoulin Cai, a.k.a. “Allen Cai,” 28, of La Puente, was arrested charges that he participated in a $23.8 million scheme to manufacture and ship counterfeit laptop computer batteries and other electronics from China to the United States, where the bogus batteries were sold to unsuspecting buyers in online marketplaces.

Dec. 2, 2019

More than 1 million copyright-infringing domain names of commercial websites engaged in the illegal sale and distribution of counterfeit goods and copyrighted works are now in custody of the federal government, thanks to the combined efforts of law enforcement agencies across the world. Federal agencies, as part of the National Intellectual Property Rights Center (IPR Center), seized the websites during the year leading up to Cyber Monday, Dec. 2, 2019.

Nov. 14, 2019

HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Jere Miles announces the results of an IPR surge operation resulting in the seizure of more than 33,000 counterfeit items valued at more than $8 million.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans announced the results of a month-long Intellectual Property Rights surge operation Nov. 13 that overlapped the Halloween and holiday shopping seasons resulting the seizure of more than 33,000 counterfeit items valued at more than $8 million.

Oct. 21, 2019

Quan JIANG, 30, a Chinese national and former engineering student at Linn Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for trafficking fake and altered Apple iPhones.

May 28, 2019

On May 28, 2019, David Nichols from Marysville, Ohio, convicted of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit airbags, was sentenced to serve one year in prison and ordered to pay $75,846 in restitution.

Feb. 7, 2019

Four companies and three individuals have agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges related to the illegal importation and sale of $11 million worth of pharmaceutical-grade erectile dysfunction drugs that were falsely marketed as herbal remedies for men. The investigation into three federal cases was conducted jointly by ICE HSI, the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigations.

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