Update: $5.12M in Fake NFL Merchandise Seized During ‘Operation Fake Sweep’
Operation Fake Sweep resulted in the seizure of 50,703 items of phony Super Bowl-related memorabilia along with other counterfeit items for a total take of $5.12 million.
An additional 22,570 items of counterfeit merchandise and clothing representing other sports leagues, including Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association and National Hockey League were seized by law enforcement.
In total, this operation netted 73,273 counterfeit items worth $6.69 million.
Furthering HSI efforts to combat counterfeiting and piracy online, special agents seized a total of 386 websites.
Sixteen of the sites illegally streamed live sporting telecasts over the Internet, including NFL games.
Three hundred seventy website domain names were illegally selling and distributing counterfeit merchandise.
Since the launch of Operation In Our Sites in June 2010, the HSI-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) has seized a total of 748 domain names.
Source: ICE