Federal agents in Houston recently intercepted a shipment from China containing dozens of counterfeit Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rings worth an estimated $750,000 if they were real.
The shipper apparently thought they could get the fake Chiefs Super Bowl rings past customs officials by claiming the package contained metal hairpins. Unfortunately for them, customs officers weren’t fooled.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, officers discovered the counterfeit championship rings at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on October 30. The shipment originated in Guangzhou, China, and the shipping paperwork listed it as “Hair Pins Metal.”
Considering each ring would have been worth approximately $10,000 if authentic, that’s a pretty interesting description of the package’s contents.
The Fake Chiefs Super Bowl Rings Were Apparently Not Very Convincing
Customs agents reportedly became suspicious of the shipment because of the rings’ poor craftsmanship.
After closer examination of the rings (pictured below), CBP’s Trade Enforcement Team determined the merchandise violated intellectual property rights. The NFL, which owns the trademarks associated with the championship rings, subsequently confirmed they were counterfeit.
Federal agents then notified Homeland Security Investigations and provided them with information about the importer. However, they did not publicly identify the importer or announce any arrests related to this shipment.
“Legitimate American businesses are often harmed by these global criminal organizations,” CBP Acting Director of Field Operations Leslie Fleming-Luczkowski said in a statement. “The sale of fake goods often funds money laundering, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities.”
Federal Agents Have Been Seizing A Lot Of Counterfeit Sports Merchandise
This fake Kansas City Chiefs ring is the latest case of federal agents confiscating counterfeit sports merchandise. Customs officers in Cincinnati confiscated a shipment of fake sports memorabilia, including fake championship rings and NFL, MLB, and NCAA-branded products.
This issue isn’t limited to sports memorabilia, however. CBP officers in Louisville have also seized multimillion-dollar shipments of counterfeit items. Federal agents in Kentucky have also confiscated fake designer watches worth massive amounts if they were real.
According to CBP, almost 90% of counterfeit merchandise they confiscate comes from China or Hong Kong. The agency recommends purchasing merchandise from authorized retailers to avoid buying counterfeit items.