see also: in December 2008:   CBP Lists Top 10 Enforcement Events of 2008   CBP Seizes $200K in Undeclared Currency; Arrest 1 at Texas Port   Marfa Sector Agents Apprehend Murder Suspect   San Ysidro Port Modernization Deployment Temporarily Reduces Lanes   Border Patrol Agents Assist in Locating Distressed Individual   CBP Officers Stop Man at Michigan Border Crossing Wanted for Aggravated Sexual Assault   Holiday Surprise; CBP Unwraps 312 Pounds of Khat in December ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers   Intellectual Property Rights

contacts for this news release

Savannah, Ga. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Savannah port of entry have seized more than $5.1 million in cell phone accessories with counterfeit Microsoft “flag” logos, the word marks of Nokia, Samsung, AT&T, BlackBerry as well as the Cingular and Motorola marks.

CBP officers, working with the CBP National Targeting Center, discovered shipments of counterfeit merchandise in a container that was selected for an examination. A total of 232,129 pieces were seized with a manufacturers suggested retail price of $5,194,554. The cell phone accessories included chargers, headsets, and face plates from China.

“As the primary U.S. border enforcement agency, CBP plays a key role in Intellectual Property Rights enforcement, said John Porter, area port director in Savannah. “IPR violations hurt not only the American public, but companies lose billions of dollars in revenue each year from trademark violations. CBP is committed to combating illegitimate trade in fraudulent and potentially unsafe products by seizing counterfeit and pirated goods at our borders and working with our enforcement counterparts to interdict IPR fraud.”

CBP protects businesses and consumers every day by combating the trade of counterfeit and piratical merchandise through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights enforcement program. In fiscal year 2008, CBP initiated more than 14,700 IPR seizures with a domestic value of more than $267 million.

For more information on intellectual property rights dealing with trademarks, please go to the CBP Web site. ( Intellectual Property Rights )

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.