EL PASO, Texas — Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Sunday seized nearly 20,000 counterfeit items with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) worth of nearly $900,000 at the local Fox Plaza flea market.
The enforcement operation was part of the continuing efforts of HSI’s Commercial Fraud Group, and the Southwest Border Financial Operations and Currency United Strike Force (FOCUS) to track down individuals who sell counterfeit and pirated products.
8,911 DVDs with an MSRP of: $122,210.72
10,669 CDs with an MSRP of: $128,454.76
1,728 items, including handbags, NFL merchandise and NIKE-brand sneakers with an MSRP of: $648,409.15
A total of 21,308 items were seized with an MSRP of $899,074.63.
The following Border Enforcement Task Force (BEST) members also participated in the operation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission, and the El Paso Sheriff’s Department. Trademark representatives were on site to authenticate merchandise. Representatives of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) also assisted.
