Politics & Government
30,000 Pairs of Fake Designer Sunglasses Seized
U.S. Customs and Border Protection nabbed a shipment entering the Long Beach/L.A. Seaport Sept. 15 but for unexplained reasons took 20 days to announce it to the public.
More than 30,000 pairs of counterfeit Lacoste sunglasses were seized from an incoming shipment from China at the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
CBP officers seized the shipment valued at about $48,000 on Sept. 15, said Jaime Ruiz of the federal agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Had they been genuine Lacoste sunglasses, they would have been valued at $4.5 million, Ruiz said. The agency enforces trade laws, including the enforcement of intellectual property rights. Preventing the import of counterfeit items is crucial in protecting consumers, as well as the nation's economy, Ruiz said. It was not explained why more than two weeks passed before the seizure was made public.
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--City News Service
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