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.
By Lauren McCurdy
Posted July 9, 2010
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
10. Toys/Electronic Games
2009 Domestic Seizure Value: $5.50 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 2%
At left:
Genuine and counterfeit Barbie dolls displayed at the Counterfeit Museum in Paris, France. The museum highlights the impact fake items have on producers of authentic products, as well as consumers and the wider economy.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
9. Jewelry
2009 Domestic Seizure Value: $10.50 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 4%
At left:
Counterfeit Dior jewelry displayed at the Counterfeit Museum in Paris, France.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
8. Pharmaceuticals
2009 Domestic Seizure Value: $11.06 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 4%
At left:
Genuine and counterfeit Viagra displayed at The Counterfeit Museum in Paris, France.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
7. Media
2009 Domestic Seizure Value: $11.09 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 4%
At left:
A dealer of counterfeit pop and rap music CDs sells his merchandise on a street in New York City.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
6. Computers/Hardware
2009 Domestic Seizure Value: $12.54 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 5%
At left:
Fake iPhones and other hardware displayed in Shanghai shop at a market known for counterfeit goods.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
5. Watches/Parts
2009 Domestic Seizure Value: $15.53 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 6%
At left:
A customs officers displays counterfeit watches that were seized over the past months in Hamburg, Germany.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
4. Apparel
2009 Domestic Seizure Value: $21.46 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 8%
At left:
Genuine and counterfeit Adidas and Lacoste shirts on display at the Counterfeit Museum in Paris, France.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
3. Handbags/Wallets/Backpacks
2009 Domestic Seizure Value: $21.50 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 8%
At left:
Genuine and counterfeit Dior bags displayed at the Counterfeit Museum in Paris, France.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
2. Consumer Electronics
2009 Domestic Seizure Value: $31.77 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 12%
At left:
A Kenyan hawker sells counterfeit goods at the popular market of Gikomba in Nairobi.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
1. Footwear
2009 Domestic Seizure Value: $ 99.78 million
Percent of Total Seizures: 38%
At left:
Counterfeit name-brand shoes on display at a Beijing clothing market.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
Crime Inc.: Counterfeit Goods
- Visit Crime Inc. Web Site for show times
- Video: You Won't Believe What Customs Agents Find