Norfolk CBP officers seize over $775,000 in counterfeit children’s toys and accessories destined to West Virginia

NORFOLK, Virginia – The holiday shopping season is quickly approaching, and Customs and Border Protection wants to remind consumers about the dangers counterfeit consumer goods pose to their families after officers at the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News, Va., recently seized over $775,000 in counterfeit children’s toys.

CBP urges consumers, and especially parents, to learn more about the consequences of counterfeits by visiting CBP’s Fake Goods Real Dangers webpage.

The counterfeit shipment, which CBP officers seized on October 29, consisted of 17,634 pieces, including 12,191 plush toys, 1,661 backpacks, 1,600 music boxes, 1,430 snow globes, 552 animal floral arrangements, and 200 rose décor. These items bore the protected trademarks and copyrights of Despicable Me, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Hello Kitty, Labubu, Kuromi, Mario, Mickey Mouse, Pikachu, and others.

CBP officers initially suspected the goods to be counterfeit and detained the shipment in September.

CBP officers then submitted documentation and photographs to CBP’s trade experts at the Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Center of Excellence and Expertise (CEE) for analysis. CBP’s trade experts worked with the trademark and copyright holders and verified that the products were counterfeit and subject to seizure pursuant to CBP’s statutory and regulatory authorities.

CBP officers seized the shipment, which arrived from China and was destined to an address in Wood County, W.V., on October 29.

CBP’s trade experts appraised the 17,634 pieces of kids’ products at $776,562 manufacturer’s suggested retail price, had they been authentic.

“Ensuring that all imports are lawful and safe for consumers remains a priority Customs and Border Protection mission. It is a responsibility that we take very seriously because we know that we could be the difference in helping keep consumers safe,” said Keri Brady, CBP’s area port director at the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News. “As we near the holiday shopping season, we urge parents to remain diligent when buying online or at steep discounts to be sure that the children’s toys, clothes, or accessories you buy don’t pose a serious health and safety threat to your families.”

Counterfeiters manufacture consumer goods using substandard materials and parts that could prematurely break or harm consumers. Protect your families by purchasing authentic consumer products from reputable retailers.

The international trade in counterfeit consumer goods is illegal. It threatens the health and safety of American consumers, steals revenues from trademark holders and tax revenues from the government, and it funds transnational criminal organizations. Counterfeit consumer goods may also be sourced or manufactured in facilities that employ forced labor.

CBP protects businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement program. During fiscal year 2024, CBP seized over 32,000,000 counterfeit goods with an estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price worth over $5.4 billion, had the goods been genuine.

News media can search for additional enforcement details by viewing CBP’s IPR webpage or by viewing CBP’s IPR Dashboard and CBP’s Annual IPR Seizures Reports.

U.S. trademark and copyright owners can register with CBP to have their intellectual property protected at the border through the through the e-Recordation program (https://iprr.cbp.gov/s/).

CBP encourages anyone with information about counterfeit merchandise being illegally imported into the United States to submit an anonymous tip to CBP’s e-Allegation Program.

CBP's border security mission is led at our nation’s Ports of Entry by CBP officers and agriculture specialists from the Office of Field Operations. CBP screens international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.

See what CBP accomplished during "A Typical Day" in 2024. Learn more at www.CBP.gov.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office on Twitter at @DFOBaltimore for breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos, and CBP’s Office of Field Operations on Instagram at @cbpfieldops.