While most people are focusing on whether the Patriots or Giants will win on Sunday,
we at ICE have our sights on a different type of victory,
and that is defeating the international counterfeiting rings that illegally profit off this event, the NFL, it's players and sports fans.
Over the last four months ICE's Homeland Security Investigations our sister agency Customs and Border Protection and our partners in State and local law enforcement,
have worked with the National Football League to conduct a nationwide blitz to disrupt the sale of counterfeit Super Bowl merchandise.
We attacked on several fronts. We targeted stores, flea markets, and street vendors selling counterfeit NFL and Super Bowl goods throughout the United States.
We looked for illegal counterfeit shipments coming into the United States from abroad.
We went after internet sites selling counterfeit sports goods and we investigated internet sites that featured illegal live streaming of sports events.
The results so far have been significant. In fact the most significant of any of the four years we have undertaken this effort.
We seized forty two thousand six hundred and ninety two counterfeit NFL trademark items worth a record breaking four point eight six million dollars.
These items included jerseys, hats, caps, t-shirts, cell phone covers, and even air fresheners believe it or not.
We seized the domain names of two hundred ninety one illegal internet websites selling counterfeit NFL merchandise largely made overseas.
This is the single largest number of websites we have ever seized in a single operation in the history of the agency.
So what should you take away from these results? First, that the government is serious about counterfeiting and we're not going away.
Second, the counterfeiters are pervasive, increasingly sophisticated and a real threat to our economy.
In sports players must abide by the rules of the game and in life individuals must follow the law of the land. Counterfeiters know no rules and are hurting this country as a result.
So to sports fans and consumers I say know your supplier and avoid counterfeit goods.
To counterfeiters I say were after you and we're not going away.
