In 2013, US Customs and Immigration and Customs Enforcement made over 24,000 seizures of counterfeit and pirated goods worth an estimated $1.7 billion. How do counterfeiters get their goods into the US? US Customs officers will reveal the “tricks of the trade” on ABC’s 20/20 on Friday, May 15 at 10pm.
Here are a few of their tricks of the trade:
- Counterfeit Timberland boots have a removable logo on the sole.
- Counterfeiters cover Samsung and Sony Ericksson logos with black tape.
- Knockoff Louis Vuitton bags “are cloaked under a cheap covering.”
- Fake Beats headphones are hidden inside generic boxes.
- North Face logos are covered with patches that have generic logos on them.
