Counterfeit Nike Smugglers Indicted for Trafficking and Bribery
The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security announced today "the break up of one of the largest counterfeit merchandise smuggling schemes uncovered in recent U.S. history." The accused counterfeiters were indicted in Tuscon in August 2006 for conspiring to smuggle millions of dollars worth of phony merchandise, including Nike Air Jordan athletic shoes, from China into the United States. Authorities seized more than $16 million worth of counterfeit merchandise as part of the probe.
According to the indictment, between May 12 and July 25 of 2006, the six defendants attempted to illegally import 15 cargo containers containing approximately 135,000 pairs of counterfeit Nike Air Jordan athletic shoes with a retail value of more than $16 million. The indictment also alleges that three of the defendants sought to bribe an undercover agent posing as a Customs & Border Patrol ("CBP") officer to falsify government records to indicate that merchandise shipped from China to the United States was re-exported to Mexico, when, in fact, it was destined for the U.S. market. Two of the defendants are also accused of soliciting an undercover agent posing as a customs broker to facilitate the release of six containers of merchandise being held by CBP in Nogales. According to the indictment, several of the defendants met at least eight times with the undercover agent, giving Trial is scheduled for October 17. Click here for details from ICE.