U.S. Border Protection Seizes 56 Shipments of Fake Title Rings Worth $982K
January 5, 2022
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced they seized 56 shipments of counterfeit championship rings from China during three months from October through December, totaling 1,382 rings and trophies.
Had the merchandise been genuine, the shipments would have been worth an estimated $982,263.
"Part of CBP’s mission is to protect American consumers from purchasing these counterfeit products," said Director of Field Operations-Chicago LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke. "This seizure illustrates our commitment to stopping counterfeit products from China and protecting our nation’s economy and consumers from those intent on defrauding businesses and consumers alike."
The seized rings include the Boston Red Sox's and Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series titles, Milwaukee Bucks' NBA championship, University of Kentucky's NCAA title and a NASCAR championship.
The CBP referred to them as "cheaply made rings, which lack detail and quality," though it was the Centers for Excellence and Expertise that eventually determined them to be counterfeit.
Counterfeit sports merchandise remains an issue for the CBP.
In 2019, the organization seized $2.2 million worth of fake Nike shoes in Los Angeles.