Rhode Island man arrested for selling suspected counterfeit merchandise

WARWICK, R.I. — A Rhode Island man was arrested Wednesday on charges of trafficking counterfeit merchandise. The arrest follows a six-month investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Norman Cipriano, 40, of Warwick, R.I., was arrested without incident after HSI special agents executed a federal search warrant at his residence and discovered large quantities of suspected counterfeit sports apparel and counterfeit health and beauty products.

The arrest was announced by Bruce M. Foucart, HSI Boston special agent in charge.

Cipriano was charged with two counts of trafficking counterfeit goods or services. Cipriano made an initial appearance in federal court this afternoon. He is scheduled to be arraigned later this month.

HSI was assisted in the investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Warwick Police Department.

This investigation was supported by the HSI-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center in Washington. The IPR Center is one of the U.S. government's key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting (piracy). As a task force, the IPR Center uses the expertise of its 21-member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public's health and safety, the U.S. economy and our war fighters. For more information on the IPR Center please visit www.IPRCenter.gov.

HSI encourages the public to report intellectual property rights violations and related information by calling 1-866-DHS-2ICE or by visiting www.ICE.gov/tips.