CBP Battles Counterfeit Merchandise at Super Bowl LII

Recommendation: Tighten importation checks at entry points and deploy dedicated patrol teams to the event corridor. Build a risk-based operations plan that prioritizes high-risk shipments, uses rapid search techniques, and tightens revenue-tracking for suspicious consignments. Engage the international partners and the organization responsible for enforcement to align enforcement across all stages.

In the last two weeks, investigators reviewed 42 importations tied to consumer electronics, clothing, and accessories destined for distribution near the venue. Senior officers led the checks, resulting in 11 seizures with an estimated value of over $2.3 million in potential profits from unauthorized replicas. Once identified, these shipments were traced to international suppliers and diverted through boat routes and inland transit.

Bryan, a senior analyst, and Saldaña, a field coordinator, worked with the organization to keep them from reaching the market. They sent documentation of importation and shipments for post-search checks and shared intel with peers, enabling the team to check the consignments before they left the pier.

Best practices call for a unified data platform that supports cross-border checks, a real-time alert feed, and routine debriefs after each shift. This includes last-mile inspection at the dock, the boat landing, and the stadium perimeter to deter theft of intellectual property.

Once the program is institutionalized, revenue protection improves, and trust in the licensing ecosystem strengthens. The international network should maintain alerts and coordinate with local law enforcement, while senior leadership and the organization remain committed to check every shipment before it enters circulation.

CBP and IPR Center: Practical Plan for Counterfeit Super Bowl Merchandise

Immediate action: establish a joint task force led by the IPR Center to check goods at malls and shopping corridors, spot high-profile t-shirts and related items, and move them away from sale.

Operational plan: map distribution paths, intercept shipments, and coordinate with leagues, teams, and venues; train professionals to recognize imitations; implement a targeted campaign that informs shoppers and stores about risks and consequences, including collaborations with the eagles; campaign itself reinforces shopper awareness.

Line-of-sight checks: target dealers and the lines through which fake goods move from source to street; require retailers and vendor supervisor to perform a check at point of sale, with attention to food vendors near lines.

Impact metric: track savings in jobs, impact on brands, and years of improved compliance; count seizures and reductions in obvious imitations, with the most measurable results coming from consistent checks.

david, a supervisor in field operations, notes that the lead in the plan comes from clear leadership and fast coordination, and that the campaign gains trust among leagues, stores, and shoppers.

Bottom line: this plan protects everyone who shops, supports professionals, and takes the right steps to reduce impact on jobs across malls and leagues, lasting for more years, and helping stores have better outcomes.

Actionable framework outlining detection, seizures, enforcement, and public guidance around Super Bowl counterfeit goods

Immediate recommendation: launch a cross-agency rapid-response initiative that activates on-ground spot checks at shipment hubs and temporary retail points around the game-day window, with officers aligned to a defined time frame and a single paper briefing to keep losses minimal and to lead the response.

Detection toolkit: apply risk scoring across supply-chain data; verify labeling; inspect stitching quality on hats and other headgear; deploy x-ray screening for containers; monitor social conversations and publics feedback; flag stolen items through cross-checks with partner databases.

Seizures and enforcement: when indicators rise, seize suspect consignments at origin or port of entry; document with a paper trail; quarantine and store items securely; protect legal rights, coordinate with international partners to halt transit, and notify owners or rights-holders.

Public guidance: publish practical tips around avoiding cheap imitations, advise consumers where to obtain authentic products, explain how to spot common defects, and offer clear reporting channels; respond rapidly to social posts and inquiries to maintain publics trust.

Operational coordination: align actions across jurisdictions with formal agreements, synchronize with international customs and law-enforcement networks, share expertise, and keep a majority of partners engaged to speed resolution.

Measurement and improvement: track success by number of spot actions, rate of seizures, year-over-year losses reduced, and time-to-disposition; update the initiative quarterly; publish a concise article for the publics and stakeholders.

Supply-chain analysis: investigate stitching holes in supply networks, review year-long data, and maintain an ongoing assistant role to field inquiries and assist with enforcement.

How Trade Agencies Detect Fakes in Sports Goods at Ports and Airports

Recommendation: A launched, targeted screening protocol at ports and airports to react quickly to suspected consignments, using analytics and intellectual, committed professionals.

Adopt a data-driven risk model that flags shipments by brand, packaging quality, declared value, and origin; monitor shopping channels and strengthen social networks of verified suppliers to support decisions and reduce reliance on manual checks.

Frontline teams perform physical checks, comparing labeling, markings, and packaging with product catalogs; when anomalies are found, a targeted search and sampling are conducted to confirm authenticity.

Assets and property are secured during inspection, with patrols deployed to the site; customers and sellers are interviewed to map supply chains and deter illicit activity.

Impact: preventing cheap imitations from entering the market protects americas economy and protects the country’s brand; effective actions preserve a million-dollar revenue stream and deter future importation attempts.

Operational moment: decisions are data-informed, coordinated between officer and analysts, and supported by cross-border networks; the goal is to disrupt supply chains before large cargo moves.

$395M in Counterfeit Merchandise Seized Ahead of Super Bowl LIX: What It Signifies

Increase coordination across agencies, brands, and online platforms, and deploy unified screening gear to block fakes before the big game.

The nearly 395 million value reveals a large-scale operation linking multiple channels, from imitation fashion to electronics, with items staged at a Mississippi port and surfaced on website listings before distribution to consumers. This largest takedown of the period demonstrates how quickly networks move assets and gear to market.

For businesses, the loss translates into revenue risk and reputation harm; a partnership approach with police and port authorities can block the flow. Implement spot checks, keep a bank of risk indicators, and require suppliers to provide verification.

Dolores, a veteran investigator, coordinated cross-border outreach, showing the value of redes and data-sharing to tighten controls across port facilities and website channels. The action highlights the need for rapid response teams and ongoing training to stay ahead of trends over the years ahead.

In sum, the event signals intent of counterfeit networks to target major gatherings; strengthening protecting programs, increasing coordination among teams, and focusing on high-visibility markets to shield businesses and consumers. The data underscores the need for ongoing partnership efforts to safeguard assets, earrings, and other goods.

Merch Madness: Counterfeiters vs Customs Agents at the Super Bowl

Recommendation: start a global search at gates and across resale platforms to intercept fakes before fans buy them; this is the mission to protect attendees.

Deploy a large team; staff train on spotting a fake logo, check tickets, and verify packaging; they must recognize sophisticated forgeries.

The mission centers on stopping forgers, who committed theft by flooding markets with fakes.

Around the venue, a hundred vendors operate; security monitors for theft and mislabeling, and staff guide fans away from questionable items.

A global campaign informs fans how to verify authenticity and where to buy only official goods; best practices guide inspectors and volunteers.

Players and team personnel reinforce the message; fans going to official shops are less likely to encounter fakes, and support areas are protected. Fans avoid them by using official shops.

If fakes are found, staff file reports; investigators might charge offenders; training helps find signs early and the operation itself benefits from ongoing feedback. Offenders could be charged.

Such measures helped authorities identify patterns, protect jobs in licensed shops, and keep fans safe; the program aims to safeguard the shopping environment around the event.

Special Team for Major Event Sunday: Roles, Training, and Rapid Response Protocols

Recommendation: Establish a five-line, on-site and remote operation with a dedicated lead in the department to coordinate detection, interdiction, and legal handling of suspected illicit goods that appear on internet sites, with defined time-to-action targets (verification within 30 minutes, escalation within 60 minutes). thats why this approach relies on a partnership framework across the department and its international counterparts, as the issue grew over the last year.

Roles

1. Lead Investigator and Incident Lead – primary point of contact; ensures legal coordination and maintains a clear chain of command across five lines of operation, and is not alone in this effort.
2. Field Liaison – coordinates on-site enforcement, immigration authorities, and state partners; keeps communication tight so the operation remains coordinated and very efficient.
3. Legal Counsel – reviews probable cause, detention authority, and paperwork for confiscated goods; ensures compliance with domestic and international standards.
4. Internet Intelligence Specialist – monitors internet sites and platforms for illicit patterns; dolores serves as the designated community liaison for outreach and feedback.
5. Logistics and Communications Officer – manages evidence chain, transport of confiscated goods, and public messaging; ensures that others understand the status of the case.

Training

• Scenario-based drills that simulate suspected illicit sporting goods listings on internet sites and the rapid turn to physical interdiction, with emphasis on speed and accuracy; exercises include five-minute decision moments and extended case reviews.
• Interagency and international partnership exercises with immigration authorities, state agencies, and foreign counterparts to align procedures and terminology.
• Legal briefings on chain-of-custody, seizures, and site documentation to guarantee admissibility in court.
• Anti-sweat protocol training, PPE, and safe handling of confiscated items, plus de-escalation and incident communication skills.
• Public outreach and internal communication drills to maintain trust and transparency with communities, especially those touched by cheap knockoffs and other risks.

Rapid Response Protocols

1. Detection and verification – continuous monitoring of sites and platforms; upon suspected items, alert the lead and initiate immediate cross-line coordination; aim to verify within 30 minutes and begin action within 60 minutes; thats part of a disciplined, five-line approach.
2. Containment – isolate the site or point of sale, segregate items, secure evidence, and prevent further distribution; establish a clear chain-of-custody from the outset.
3. Interdiction and confiscation – coordinate with department partners to confiscate cheap and suspected illicit goods; document with photos, logs, and witness statements; notify the appropriate authorities.
4. Reporting and legal follow-up – compile an incident package, forward to state and international partners, and track outcomes through legal channels and administrative processes.
5. Post-incident review and SOP updates – debrief, adjust protocols, update training, and expand partnership networks to prevent recurrence; address impacts on state commerce and public safety.