Thousands of pairs of Nike knockoffs were seized at the Los Angeles-Long Beach ports complex recently in a shipment arriving from China, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Wednesday.
Had the 14,800 pairs of counterfeit Nike special edition and retro design shoes been real, the manufacturer's suggested retail prices would have totaled more than $2.2 million, the agency said.
The shoes were in two containers with contents declared as napkins.
The fakes violated protected designs and trademarks for various versions of Nike's Air Jordan and Air Max shoes.
Customs and Border Protection said collectors might pay between $1,500 and $2,000 for a legitimate pair of the shoes.
“Counterfeit brand-name shoes is a multi-million dollar criminal industry. The trafficking of these items is extremely lucrative and becomes more profitable in markets involving successful and popular products.” said LaFonda Sutton-Burke, CBP Port Director of the LA/Long Beach Seaport.
