see also: in January 2009:   CBP Officers Discover 957 Pounds of Marijuana in Concrete Pipes   CBP Canine Detects $600,000 Worth of Marijuana at Douglas Port   CBP Officers Seize $80,000 of Marijuana at Naco Port of Entry   Border Patrol Stops Vehicle, Leads to Meth Seizure   CBP Officers at Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge Seize Fake $20’s Found during Outbound Inspection   Border Patrol Agents Rescue Woman Injured in Car Accident   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Arrest Wanted Sex Offender ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Newark, N.J. — Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Newark seized a shipment of counterfeit designer perfumes with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of nearly $5 million and a domestic value of more than $131,000.

The shipment violates Intellectual Property Rights regulations. During routine examinations for trade compliance, CBP officers discovered the bogus perfume in a shipment that was manifested as cosmetics. The shipment was destined for Manhattan.

The counterfeit shipment included a variety of well-known brands of perfume including a variety of scents by Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Issey Miyake, and Lacoste. CBP officers and import specialists identified this particular shipment as counterfeit due to poor packaging quality. Some counterfeit perfumes are so difficult to identify that lab tests are required to confirm whether or not they are legitimate. Consumers should be wary about purchasing designer fragrances from unreputable vendors who may knowingly or unknowingly be distributing counterfeit goods.

“The ingredients used to make counterfeit perfumes are unknown and may pose a significant health hazard to the public,” said Robert E. Perez, director of Field Operations in New York. “Stemming the flow of these types of counterfeit products remains a high priority for agency.” During last fiscal year, CBP in the New York/Newark area seized more than 400 shipments of counterfeit and pirated goods with a domestic value of almost $100 million that arrived in cargo containers at the seaport.

CBP is a key player in the enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights. With the growth of foreign trade, unscrupulous companies have profited billions of dollars from the sale of pirated IPR goods. In order to combat the counterfeit trade, most trademark and copyright holders register with CBP through an online system that assists CBP officers and import specialists to easily identify fake merchandise. CBP’s IPR enforcement strategy focuses on targeting and interdicting shipments of fake goods while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade. CBP works with IPR holders and other government agencies to prevent IPR violations that may pose a health and safety risk to consumers.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.