WASHINGTON: US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) San Juan Field Operations recently made in one week approximately 115 seizures of counterfeit products, valued at more than US$6.5 million, which were illegally imported into Puerto Rico via international mail. This is a record value of counterfeits seized by CBP in Puerto Rico during a single week. Various international mail packages inspected by CBP officers at the San Juan International Mail Branch revealed products that infringed intellectual property rights. The products were shipped from vendors in China.
“CBP and its various partner agencies are shutting down the illegal trade of counterfeits into Puerto Rico,” said Edward Ryan, assistant director of trade for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. “We will continue to fight to protect legitimate businesses and consumers from intellectual property thieves.” A wide range of counterfeited products was seized during the weeklong enforcement effort, called Operation Silver Snake, to include: pharmaceuticals, electronics, jewellery, apparel, footwear, and more. This is the third iteration of a week-long operation carried out in San Juan Trade Enforcement Team (TET), with the support of CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise (CEEs), IPR-National Targeting & Analysis Group (NTAG), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice. CBP protects businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive IPR enforcement program. CBP targets and seizes imports of counterfeit and pirated goods, and enforces exclusion orders on patent-infringing and other IPR goods.
