butterbean
Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 2271
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 Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:42 pm Post subject: US Authorities Intercept Counterfeit-Shoe Load |
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U.S. authorities intercept huge counterfeit-shoe load
6 people are indicted; part of the shipment was routed to Arizona
More than $16 million worth of counterfeit Nike athletic shoes were seized in Arizona in what authorities are calling one of the largest counterfeit-merchandise smuggling schemes in U.S. history, officials said Tuesday.
Authorities announced on Tuesday that at least six people have been indicted after importing about 135,000 pairs of knockoff Nike shoes to Arizona and another 558,000 pairs to Texas and California with plans to sell them in the United States illegally. Federal officials estimated the total value of the shoes seized was nearly $87 million.
According to Special Agent in Charge Roberto G. Medina of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in May, authorities received information that a large shipment of counterfeit merchandise was going to come to Long Beach, Calif., from China.
The Arizona shipment, which consisted of 15 sea cargo containers holding 9,000 pairs of shoes each, was to be shipped in-bond, meaning it would pass through the United States and be delivered to Mexico, he said.
Eight of those containers or 72,000 pairs of shoes were shipped to Nogales. The other seven containers went to Phoenix. Seventy-seven containers were imported overall to the United States.
When anything is shipped in-bond, officials are required to document when the shipment is imported and when it is exported. The in-bond system allows importers to avoid paying U.S. import fees and permits rapid processing.
CONTINUED...
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/border/145367 |
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