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DHS: Counterfeit Goods Still Rampant in U.S.

Phony products seizures fell slightly, but counterfeiting continues to be big business

By , Senior Editor

December 10, 2009 —

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials with the Department of Homeland Security saw seizures of counterfeit and pirated goods fall 4 percent in 2008. But fake products, which pose both economic and health threats, continue to flow into the country at a significant level.

Border officials seized 14,841 counterfeit and pirated goods with a total domestic value of $260.7 million, according to new figures released by DHS. The agency said China continues to be the number one source country for counterfeit and pirated goods, accounting for 79 percent of seizures, approximately $204.7 million of the total seizure value.

Also see Counterfeiting: Faked in China


For the fourth year in a row, footwear was the top product seized, accounting for 38 percent of the entire domestic value of intellectual property rights infringing goods, officials said. Jewelry appeared on the top products list for the first time, accounting for four percent of the total domestic value of IPR seizures. The top 10 categories of IPR infringing products seized also include consumer electronics, wearing apparel, computers/hardware, pharmaceuticals, and toys/electronic games.

"Imports of counterfeit and pirated goods undermine the economic vitality of the United States directly by reducing sales of legitimate goods, and indirectly by reducing employment, incentives to engage in research and development, and tax revenues," DHS officials said in a release on the numbers.

Customs officials also noted that a large number of products not only infringe on intellectual property, but pose serious health risks to the U.S. population. Products that could cause harm, such as phony pharmaceuticals, accounted for $32 million of seizures.

Other stories by Joan Goodchild

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