December 15, 2008

13,000 pieces of counterfeit goods including Coach, Gucci and Nike with an estimated value of $250,000 were seized in Atlanta following an ICE investigation

ATLANTA- Four search warrants executed here Tuesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents led to the seizure of 13,000 pieces of counterfeit goods including Coach, Gucci and Nike with an estimated value of $250,000.

The investigation, which began in August 2007, yielded intelligence regarding the locations in the Atlanta area that were storing the counterfeit goods to be sold locally. The goods are believed to have been manufactured in China and imported to the United States.

ICE agents also seized a 2005 Chevrolet Express van and a 2004 UD Series truck linked to illicit counterfeit proceeds.

Intellectual property rights (IPR) violations involve the illegal use of trademarks, trade names and copyrights. It is estimated that the U.S. industry alone loses $200 to $250 billion and a total of 750,000 American jobs to counterfeiting annually.

As the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, ICE plays a leading role in targeting criminal organizations responsible for producing, smuggling, and distributing counterfeit products. ICE is committed to working with its law enforcement partners to protect legitimate businesses involved in the manufacturing, importation and distribution of licensed commodities from unscrupulous counterfeiters.

"Enforcing America's counterfeiting laws are about protecting the rights of those who play by the rules; it's about keeping America a global leader in intellectual property rights; it's about keeping sub-par and unsafe merchandise off our streets; and it's about trying to keep billions of dollars of illicit funds out of the hands of organized criminal groups here and abroad," said Kenneth A. Smith, special agent-in-charge of ICE's Office of Investigations in Atlanta.

ICE, along with its DHS partner U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), made nearly 14,000 seizures last fiscal year. ICE investigations in fiscal year 2007, resulted in 241 arrests, 149 indictments and 134 convictions on IPR violations. During fiscal year 2007, ICE and CBP seized counterfeit or pirated merchandize worth approximately $200 million in domestic value, exceeding the value of the previous year's seizures by 27 percent.

Anyone with information related to counterfeit merchandise is encouraged to contact law enforcement. Those with information may contact ICE's 24-hour toll-free hotline by dialing 1 (866) DHS-2ICE.

To date, no arrests have been made; however, the ICE investigation into this case continues.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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