News

The IPR Center Report

Partners in Action

Volume 2, No. 1 • March 2009

Superbowl Enforcement Operation Nets More Than $2 Million in Counterfeit Merchandise

An intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement operation at Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Fla., led to arrests and seizures of counterfeit merchandise. ICE agents from the Special Agent in Charge Office for Tampa joined the Tampa Police Department, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and National Football League (NFL) to work together in the two-week operation leading up to the big event.

As a result of this collaborative effort, officials seized more than 21,000 pieces of counterfeit merchandise with a retail value of more than $2 million.

As with past Super Bowl initiatives conducted jointly with ICE, the NFL obtained a state civil court order authorizing the seizure and forfeiture of unauthorized and/or counterfeit NFL merchandise. More than 100 violators were served with the order, resulting in the seizure of approximately 16,000 pieces of counterfeit NFL merchandise including jerseys, t-shirts, sweatshirts, cell phone holders, caps and banners worth more than $360,000.

Another focus of this IPR operation was the targeting of counterfeit vendors of Super Bowl tickets.The IPR teams also seized 37 counterfeit tickets, resulting in nine arrests.

The investigation of a Tampa-based vendor selling counterfeit NFL merchandise at a local flea market determined the vendor was also selling other counterfeit goods in an adjacent booth. A state search warrant was obtained on the second booth, resulting in the discovery and seizure of more than $1.6 million worth of trademarked merchandise, including sneakers, handbags, clothing, jewelry, watches, wallets and sunglasses. The vendor was arrested on a state felony charge of distribution of goods with a counterfeit trademark, and faces up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Another vendor of counterfeit NFL t-shirts was encountered in the vicinity of Raymond James Stadium, the location of this year’s Super Bowl.This vendor had previously been identified as a counterfeit NFL merchandise vendor. This case was presented and accepted for federal prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

This collaborative partnership between ICE SAC/Tampa, state and local enforcement agencies, and the NFL resulted in a successful effort to combat IPR violators.