CBP New York/Newark seizes nearly $1.7 Million in Counterfeit Nike Sneakers - U.S. Customs & Border Protection
NEW YORK – They’re known as sneakers, but 9,024 pairs of counterfeit Nike sneakers could not sneak past alert U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of New York/Newark recently.
If authentic, the sneakers would have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $1,695,600.
CBP officers inspected the shipment in late September after it arrived from Dongguan City, China. Officers then submitted digital images of the sneakers to CBP’s Apparel Footwear and Textiles Center for Excellence and Expertise, the agency’s trade experts. CBP’s CEE specialists worked with the trademark holders and determined the sneakers to be counterfeit.
CBP completed the seizure Thursday. The sneakers were destined to an address in Chino, California. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations agents in Newark, N.J. continue to investigate.
“This significant seizure of counterfeit Nike sneakers illustrates Customs and Border Protection’s continued commitment to protecting the American consumer against the proliferation of substandard and potentially unsafe counterfeit consumer goods,” said Troy Miller, Director of CBP’s New York Field Office. “Enforcing Intellectual Property Rights laws is a CBP priority trade mission. We will continue to work closely with our trade and law enforcement partners to identify and seize counterfeit merchandise that could potentially harm U.S. consumers and businesses.”
The manufacture of counterfeit goods robs legitimate businesses of revenue, robs American workers of jobs, and poses health and safety threats to U.S. consumers. Oftentimes, the proceeds from counterfeit merchandise sales supports other nefarious and illicit businesses.
CBP protects consumers and businesses every day through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement program.
On a typical day in 2017, CBP officers seized $3.3 million worth of products with IPR violations. Learn more about what CBP did during "A Typical Day" in 2017.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, the number of IPR seizures increased 8 percent to 34,143 from 31,560 in FY 2016. The total estimated MSRP of the seized goods, had they been genuine, decreased to $1.2 billion from $1.38 billion in FY 2016. Read more 2017 IPR Enforcement Statistics.
As a result of CBP enforcement efforts, ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents arrested 457 individuals, obtained 288 indictments, and received 242 convictions related to intellectual property crimes in 2017.
If you have information concerning counterfeit merchandise illegally imported into the United States, CBP encourages you to submit an anonymous report through e-Allegations Online Trade Violation Reporting System.
CBP officers inspect travelers and cargo entering the United States and enforces U.S. laws, including immigration, illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, prohibited agriculture, counterfeit consumer goods, and other products to assure that global tourism and trade remains safe and strong.
CBP's border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations. Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders.
OTEXA: Announcements - Office of Textile and Apparel
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of polyester textured yarn from China and India that are allegedly subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value.
Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioners Irving A. Williamson, Meredith M. Broadbent, Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, and Jason E. Kearns voted in the affirmative.
As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue with its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations concerning imports of this product from China and India, with its preliminary countervailing duty determinations due on or about January 11, 2019, and its preliminary antidumping duty determinations due on or about March 27, 2019.
The Commission’s public report Polyester Textured Yarn from China and India (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-612-613 and 731-TA-1429-1430 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 4858, December 2018) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.
The report will be available after December 31, 2018; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.
UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20436
FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS
Polyester Textured Yarn from China and India
Investigation Nos. 701-TA-612-613 and 731-TA-1429-1430 (Preliminary)
Product Description: Polyester textured yarn is synthetic multifilament yarn that is manufactured from polyester (polyethylene terephthalate). It is produced through a texturing process, which imparts special properties to the filaments of the yarn, including stretch, bulk, strength, moisture absorption, insulation, and the appearance of a natural fiber.
Status of Proceedings:
1. Type of investigation: Preliminary phase antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations.
2. Petitioners: Unifi Manufacturing, Inc., Greensboro, North Carolina; Nan Ya Plastics Corp. America, Lake City, South Carolina.
3. USITC Institution Date: Friday, October 18, 2018.
4. USITC Conference Date: Friday, November 8, 2018.
5. USITC Vote Date: Friday, November 30, 2018.
6. USITC Notification to Commerce Date: Monday, December 3, 2018.
U.S. Industry in 2017:
1. Number of U.S. producers: 9.
2. Location of producers’ plants: North Carolina and South Carolina.
3. Production and related workers: 1,043.
4. U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments: $271.5 million.
5. Apparent U.S. consumption: $404.0 million.
6. Ratio of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption: 15.5 percent.
U.S. Imports in 2017:
1. Subject imports: $62.7 million.
2. Nonsubject imports: $69.8 million.
3. Leading import sources: China, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia.
USITC Makes Determinations Concerning Large Diameter Welded Pipe from China and India - US International Trade Commission
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today announced its injury determinations in its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations concerning large diameter welded (LDW) pipe from China and India that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value.
Four Commissioners identified three like products and one Commissioner identified two like products in these investigations.
LDW carbon and alloy steel line pipe (line pipe): The Commission made an affirmative determination in its antidumping duty investigation of line pipe from China. Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioners Irving A. Williamson and Rhonda K. Schmidtlein voted in the affirmative; Commissioner Meredith M. Broadbent voted in the negative.
All four Commissioners voted to terminate the countervailing duty investigation of line pipe from China.
The Commission made affirmative determinations in its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of line pipe from India. Chairman Johanson and Commissioners Williamson and Schmidtlein voted in the affirmative; Commissioner Broadbent voted in the negative.
LDW carbon and alloy steel structural pipe (structural pipe): The Commission made affirmative determinations in its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of structural pipe from China. Chairman Johanson and Commissioners Williamson, Schmidtlein, and Broadbent voted in the affirmative.
All four Commissioners voted to terminate the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of structural pipe from India.
LDW stainless steel pipe (stainless steel pipe): The Commission made negative determinations in its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of stainless steel pipe from China and India. Chairman Johanson and Commissioners Williamson, Schmidtlein, and Broadbent voted in the negative.
Commissioner Jason E. Kearns voted in the affirmative with respect to LDW carbon and alloy steel pipe from China and India and concurred with the majority in voting in the negative with respect to LDW stainless steel pipe from China and India.
As a result of the USITC’s affirmative determinations, Commerce will issue antidumping duty orders on imports of LDW carbon and alloy steel line pipe from China and India and a countervailing duty order on imports of LDW carbon and alloy steel line pipe from India, and antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports of LDW carbon and alloy steel structural pipe from China.
The Commission’s public report Large Diameter Welded Pipe from China and India (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-593-594 and 731-TA-1402 and 1404 (Final), USITC Publication 4859, December 2018) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.
The report will be available by January 14, 2019; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.
Baltimore CBP Defends the Nation from Egyptian Locust - U.S. Customs & Border Protection
BALTIMORE – In biblical references, residents feared the destructive arrival of the locust; however, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists were undeterred when they encountered an Egyptian tree locust recently in the Port of Baltimore.
CBP captured a locust specimen while inspecting a shipment of Italian wine November 15 and immediately ordered the entire wine shipment back into the shipping container for safeguarding.
CBP agriculture specialists submitted the specimen to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entomologist for identification. The entomologist determined that the specimen was Anacridium aegyptium, commonly known as the Egyptian tree locust. The Egyptian tree locust is a voracious leaf feeder and a pest to grapevines, citrus and other fruit trees, and vegetable plants. It is commonly found in Europe.
The Egyptian tree locust is considered an invasive species not known to occur in the United States.
“This interception demonstrates the criticality of Customs and Border Protection’s agriculture protection mission at our sea, air and land ports of entry,” said Casey Durst, CBP Director of Field Operations in Baltimore. “CBP agriculture specialists work hard every day to intercept invasive insects and federal noxious weeds, and to prevent the introduction of foreign plant and animal diseases that could seriously harm U.S. livestock industries.”
CBP agriculture specialists issued an emergency action notification and the importer agreed to export the container and its contents.
CBP Agriculture Specialists have extensive training and experience in the biological sciences and agricultural inspection. On a typical day nationally, they inspect over 1 million people as well as air and sea cargo imported to the United States and intercept 352 agriculture pests and 4,638 prohibited meat, plant materials or animal products. Learn what CBP accomplishes by visiting Typical CBP Day in 2017.
CPSC and NIST Team Up to Demonstrate Holiday Decorating Hazards - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have teamed up to remind consumers that the best holiday family traditions should always start with safety.
CPSC demonstrated fires involving dried-out Christmas trees and candles at a joint press conference at CPSC’s National Product Testing and Evaluation Center in Rockville, Maryland.
“There are about 200 decorating-related injuries each day during the busy holiday season,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle. “Make safety a part of your family’s holiday decorating this year. Keep your Christmas tree watered, check holiday lights before you put them on the tree and use extra caution with candles.”
CPSC estimates that from 2013 to 2015, there was an annual average of about 100 Christmas tree fires, resulting in 10 deaths, 10 injuries, and $12 million in property loss per year.
“NIST’s fire research demonstrates how important it is for consumers to water their Christmas trees to help prevent fires,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Dr. Walter G. Copan. “We’ve also collected data to assist firefighters in better predicting how fires will behave.
To stay fire safe all year, consumers should ensure they regularly test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their homes.”
According to CPSC data, there were 18,400 injuries associated with holiday decorating seen in emergency departments nationwide from November 2016 through January 2017. The most frequent of these holiday decorating incidents involved falls (38 %), lacerations (14%), and strains or sprains (18%). There were two deaths involving falls from a ladder.
Follow these tips to help make your holiday a safe one:
Trees and Decorations
Buying a live Christmas tree? Check for freshness. A fresh tree is green; and its needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent between your fingers. Keep trees well watered.
Buying an artificial tree? Look for the label: “Fire Resistant.” Although this label does not mean that the tree will not catch fire, the tree is more resistant to catching fire.
Setting up a tree at home? Place it away from heat sources, such as fireplaces, vents and radiators.
Decorating a tree in homes with small children? Avoid sharp or breakable decorations. Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of small children who could swallow or inhale small pieces.
Candles
Keep burning candles within sight. Extinguish all candles before leaving the room.
Keep candles on a stable, heat-resistant surface where children and pets cannot reach them or knock them over. Place lit candles away from items that can catch fire, such as trees, decorations, curtains and furniture.
Lights
Only use lights tested for safety by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets and do not use electric lights on a metallic tree.
Check each extension cord to make sure it is rated for the intended use and is in good condition. Do not use cords with cuts or signs of fraying.
Check outdoor lights for labels showing the lights have been certified for outdoor use, and only plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)-protected receptacle or a portable GFCI.
Fireplaces
Do not burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. A flash fire may result because wrappings can ignite suddenly and burn intensely.
Smoke alarms
Have working smoke alarms on every floor of the home and in every bedroom. The early warning provided by smoke alarms saves lives.
Test your smoke alarms every month to make sure they are working properly.
Change batteries in smoke alarms every year.