Inside ICE: Volume 4, Issue 1

ICE Breaks Up Counterfeit Apparel Smuggling Ring

A U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigation into a large-scale counterfeit clothing ring has led to the arrest of four individuals in New York, New Jersey and Texas on charges of trafficking in counterfeit goods. The government also charged three of the defendants with attempting to bribe a public official. ICE agents simultaneously executed four search warrants at warehouses in New Jersey used to store vast quantities of counterfeit goods, as well as search warrants at various offices used by members of the conspiracy.

This ICE investigation, in part an undercover operation, was initiated in May 2005. An undercover ICE agent posed as someone able to illegally pass containers of counterfeit goods past U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) checkpoints. To gain the trust of counterfeiters, the agents permitted some imitation clothing to pass into the country.

The counterfeit clothing was manufactured in foreign countries including Pakistan and China and smuggled through the seaport in Newark, N.J., and by air through John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.

Members of the conspiracy paid the undercover ICE agent money on numerous occasions, believing the funds would be used to bribe a corrupt CBP official who would release the counterfeit clothing without inspection. Over the course of the investigation, members of the conspiracy paid the undercover ICE agent over $140,000 in bribe money.

All four were charged with trafficking in counterfeit goods with counterfeit trademarks.Three of the accused were also charged with paying bribes in an effort to procure the release without inspection of their smuggled goods.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of the above fugitive, please call 1-866-DHS-2ICE. View more ICE Most Wanted online at: www.ice.gov/pi/investigations/mostwanted.htm.

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