markets and into the hands of unsuspecting consumers,” said HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Melendez. Counterfeit goods manufactured and smuggled from China with a suggested value close to half a billion dollars, were intended to make its way into U.S. “This investigation exposed the global nature of intellectual property crimes, allegedly being executed by those arrested today. “This Office, working with our law enforcement partners, is committed to securing our country’s ports of entry, as well as to protecting the integrity of intellectual property upon which free and fair international trade and markets depend.” “As alleged, the defendants used many forms of deception to smuggle large quantities of counterfeit luxury brand goods from China into the United States, and then profited by distributing and selling the fake merchandise,” said U.S. The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable those who seek to exploit our borders by smuggling counterfeit goods for sale on the black market.” “The illegal smuggling of counterfeit goods poses a real threat to honest businesses, and I commend our federal prosecutors and partners at HSI and the NYPD for their outstanding work on this important investigation. “The defendants allegedly smuggled millions of dollars of counterfeit luxury goods into our country, depriving companies of their valuable and hard-earned intellectual property,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. O’Neill of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York and Commissioner James P. Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York, Special Agent in Charge Angel M. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. In addition, the government restrained nine real properties in Queens, Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York belonging to the defendants.Īssistant Attorney General Brian A. The charges include conspiracy to traffic, and trafficking, in counterfeit goods conspiracy to smuggle, and smuggling, counterfeit goods into the United States money laundering conspiracy immigration fraud and unlawful procurement of naturalization. Twenty-one defendants were arrested this morning, and their initial court appearances and arraignments are scheduled before U.S. One defendant is also charged with unlawful procurement of naturalization. Earlier today, six indictments and one criminal complaint were unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging a total of 22 defendants with illegally bringing into the United States millions of dollars of Chinese-manufactured goods by smuggling them through ports of entry on the East and West Coasts.
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