Nearly $55K In Fake Air Jordans Seized By Border Protection At Virginia Airport

Multiple pairs of fake Nike Air Jordans sneakers were seized at Dulles International Airport (DIA) in Virginia mid-December by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB), authorities said.

Seven separate parcels arrived Dec. 15 at DIA with 400 pairs of counterfeit Air Jordans in route to Alexandria, Virginia, CPB confirmed Monday. Officials that came across the large bulk of sneakers, which came from China, thought the footwear was fake. An investigation was subsequently conducted by CPB officers to determine whether their suspicions were valid.

The confiscation was completed Jan. 2 after Nike confirmed to CPB officials that the sneakers were, in fact, counterfeited Nike Air Jordans, WRC-TV reported. If the shoes had been legitimate, the retail price for the seized merchandise would have amounted to $54,715.

"Customs and Border Protection will continue to work closely with our trade and consumer safety partners to seize counterfeit and inferior merchandise, especially those products that pose potential harm to American consumers, negatively impact legitimate business brand reputations, and potentially steal jobs from U.S. workers," Daniel Mattina, CBP's Acting Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C, said in a news release published Monday on the organization's website.

It's not rare for CPB officers to confiscate counterfeit merchandise: in 2016, officers confiscated some $3.8 million worth of such merchandise on an average day. In an effort to try and prevent more incidents, CPB launched a campaign June 2017 dubbed "The Truth Behind Counterfeits."

"CBP is committed to protecting consumers and enforcing U.S. trade laws, and this campaign will help raise awareness and educate the traveling public about the dangers of purchasing counterfeit goods," Brenda Smith, executive assistant commissioner for the Office of Trade, said of the campaign on the organization's website. "Not only do counterfeits damage the American economy, such goods can threaten the health and safety of consumers."

The global participation in trading counterfeit or pirated goods was expected to drain $4.2 trillion from the U.S. economy by 2022, according to a June 2017 report from the International Chamber of Commerce. The most commonly counterfeited items traded in America include footwear, electronics, handbags and jewelry, USA Today reported.

A representative for Nike did not immediately return International Business Times' request for comment.