Counterfeit Converse sneakers seized in Baltimore

Customs officers in Baltimore in the US have intercepted a shipment of almost 14,000 pairs of counterfeit Converse shoes en route to an address in Los Angeles.

The knock-offs of the iconic canvas-topped sneaker brand were found in a shipment that arrived from China on June 23 – manifested as 'shoes' – that was detained as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers suspected them of being counterfeit. The shipment - worth around $314,000 - contained fake copies of the popular Chuck Taylor All Star line.

Photos and documentation about the shipment were sent to the CBP Office of Trade’s Intellectual Property Enforcement Branch (IPE) for an infringement determination, which concluded the shoes violated Converse trademarks. They would have been worth around $314,000 if genuine.

"Unscrupulous manufacturers and vendors illegally profit on the sale of substandard counterfeit products, such as these fake Chucks, at the expense and safety of American consumers," said Adam Rottman, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Baltimore.

"Customs and Border Protection urges consumers to protect their health and wallets by buying authentic consumer goods from reputable or authorised vendors."

Image by Alissa Bryant from Pixabay