Top 10 Items Seized at US Ports
Counterfeit goods generate hundreds of billions of dollars in sales each year, making up about 7 percent of all global trade.
At US ports alone, counterfeit products seized in 2009 had an estimated street value of more than $260 million. Authorities are unsure just how many counterfeit goods enter the United States each year, but one thing is certain: Counterfeiting saps economies, puts lives in jeopardy and funds organized crime around the globe.
So which counterfeit goods are seized most often? Click ahead to see the top 10 most seized items at US ports in 2009.
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By Lauren McCurdy
Posted July 9, 2010
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
10. Pharmaceuticals
2010 Domestic Seizure Value: $5.66 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 3%
Counterfeit pharmaceutical seizures at US ports were down 50 percent from 2009 when $11.06 million in seizure value was reported.
At left:
Genuine and counterfeit Viagra displayed at The Counterfeit Museum in Paris, France.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
9. Jewelry
2010 Domestic Seizure Value: $6.76 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 4%
Counterfeit jewelry seized in 2010 was down nearly 30 percent from 2009, which saw $10.5 million in total seizures.
At left:
Counterfeit Dior jewelry displayed at the Counterfeit Museum in Paris, France.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
8. Watches/Parts
2010 Domestic Seizure Value: $7.85 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 4%
Seizures of counterfeit watches and parts fell dramatically in 2010, dropping nearly 50 percent from 2009's $15.53 million in seizure value.
At left:
A customs officer displays counterfeit watches that were seized over the past months in Hamburg, Germany.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
7. Cigarettes
2010 Domestic Seizure Value: $8.85 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 5%
Counterfeit cigarettes were not among the top 10 most seized counterfeit goods at US ports in 2009, so numbers were not broken out by the US Customs office.
At left:
Counterfeit cigarettes seized by French Customs are displayed outside Ministere des Finances
Source: US Customs and Border Protection