Kansas City, Mo. — Federal agents and other law enforcement groups seized more than $540,000 in counterfeit Major League Baseball merchandise over two weeks leading up to this year's All-Star Game in Kansas City.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said Thursday that the joint operation targeted Internet sellers, street vendors and stores selling fake, game-related sportswear.
The 14-day effort resulted in the seizure of 13,023 items including apparel, fake tickets and memorabilia. Nearly 20 percent were from other sports leagues, including the NFL and NHL.
Authorities said they closed a Lenexa, Kan., warehouse believed to be responsible for distributing the majority of all counterfeit ball caps sold in the Kansas City area.
Seizures took place in several communities in the Kansas City metropolitan area, on both sides of the state line.
Comments
kansasplains1 10 months, 1 week ago
What is "phony"?
Is it because patents protect these sports memorabilia?
If so, should patents protect designs so that only, for the most part, big companies benefit?
How about the street sellers, for example, who are often doing what they can to try to help their family?
We need more information than this article gives about what specific items were confiscated, and why.
Coles_Law 10 months, 1 week ago
Doing some rough math, the average retail price of the items confiscated was a bit over $40. So while some of it may have been hats, I'm guessing the vast majority were jerseys and the like. As to why? Probably unlicensed material, but that's a completely wild guess on my part.
DillonBarnes 10 months, 1 week ago
A company, big or small, should have a right to protect it's name and image. I'll be the first to say big corporations have too much power, but I think you'd feel differently about licensing agreements if it was your business being stolen. I can understand a street vendor trying to feed his family, but that doesn't mean we should turn a blind eye to them breaking the law.
oneeye_wilbur 10 months, 1 week ago
Who really cares. In due time the stuff ends up in a dump or Planet Aid. boxes or thrift. Shops. It has no real lasting value. It's all about someoney making a few bucks. No one is complaining about the US Olympic stuff being made in china
kansasplains1 10 months, 1 week ago
I disagree with you. There are already many articles protesting the uniforms being made in China.
Only one of many:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/07/12/156686598/sen-reid-on-made-in-china-u-s-olympic-uniforms-burn-them
The_Big_B 10 months, 1 week ago
"None of the items bore the 'Royals' insignia ... apparently due to lack of interest."
Cant_have_it_both_ways 10 months, 1 week ago
I have often wondered the source of the shirts being sold outside the Sprint center when we go to concerts. Generally about half the price of the event inside and look pretty good.
Any ideas?
snap_pop_no_crackle 10 months, 1 week ago
The people who make and sell counterfeit goods are only a small step above lousy, rotten spammers.
guppypunkhead 10 months, 1 week ago
Hey guys watch out for phony hats around- they are actually socks in disguise.
CWGOKU 10 months, 1 week ago
Did they find the Royal's phony pitching staff as well?
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