Signed, sealed and busted.
Almost 162,000 counterfeit US “forever” stamps shipped from China had been lately seized at a Chicago mail facility by US Border Patrol brokers, authorities stated.
Anti-terrorism contraband brokers posted on the Chicago Worldwide Mail Department final weekend intercepted eight shipments containing 161,860 fraudulent stamps that violated trademark legal guidelines, in line with US Customs and Border Safety.
If actual, the stamps could be value greater than $118,000.
The federal company, which routinely inspects packages on arriving and departing worldwide flights, stated the postage was snatched after brokers noticed its poor high quality, low bill worth, routing and the “extraordinary” effort to hide the lot.
“Counterfeiters only care about making a profit. They don’t care about the effect that fake postage has on your ability to send important mail and overall impacts the US economy,” LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director of Subject Operations-Chicago, stated in an announcement.
“Our officers and specialists are some of the most highly trained in the nation, and their level of expertise is evident with these seizures. CBP officers were able to identify these very realistic counterfeits and stop them from reaching their destinations.”
With counterfeiting turning into extra superior — with most shoppers unable to detect a distinction — officers stated there’s been an uptick in pretend stamps round excessive quantity card holidays, like Valentine’s Day.
Genuine postage stamps are produced on the US Bureau of Engraving & Printing within the US.
