U.S. Special Agents announced the record-breaking results of a nationwide enforcement operation targeting stores, flea markets and street vendors selling counterfeit game-related sportswear throughout the country – targeting illegal counterfeit imports into the United States, and seized hundreds of websites engaged in counterfeiting and piracy online. Fake jerseys, ball caps, t-shirts, jackets and other souvenirs are among the counterfeit merchandise and clothing confiscated.
ICE director John Morton states, “While most people are focusing on whether the Patriots or Giants will win on Sunday, we at ICE have our sights on a different type of victory: defeating the international counterfeiting rings that illegally profit off of this event, the NFL, its players and sports fans. In sports, players must abide by rules of the game, and in life, individuals must follow the laws of the land. Our message is simple: abiding by intellectual property rights laws is not optional; it’s the law.”
The operation was spearheaded by the IPR Center in coordination with the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and seven U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including: District of Colorado, District of Maryland, District of Minnesota, Western District of Michigan, Southern District of New York, Southern District of Texas and Western District of Texas.
