MIAMI – Authorities conducting a six-week counterfeit sweep in three countries seized 327,000 phony items, including fake Hello Kitty clothing and cheap imitation Casio G-Shock sport watches, that if legitimate carry suggested retail prices of more than $76 million, federal investigators said Thursday.
“Counterfeiting remains a significant problem that demands strong enforcement efforts both here and abroad,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton.
ICE and other agencies, as well as the Mexican and South Korean governments, targeted flea markets, seaports, land ports of entry, swap meets and retail stores between Nov. 1 and Dec. 9 in 66 cities in the U.S., 55 cities in Mexico and in Seoul, South Korea.
Handbags, cellphones, toys, computer software, DVDs and sports jerseys were among other items seized.
Thirty-three people have been arrested on charges of trafficking in counterfeit goods. Investigators said they hope “Operation Holiday Hoax II” will help them identify organized crime groups behind the multimillion-dollar fake merchandise industry.
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