$76K in fake money, over $465K in counterfeit goods seized at Chicago airport

Wednesday, February 8, 2023
CHICAGO (WLS) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized $76,000 in counterfeit cash, and more than $465,000 in fake merchandise at O'Hare airport earlier this month.

The cash was found during an inspection last week of a variety of shipments from China.

Officials said the counterfeit goods were found during a search of the baggage of a U.S. citizen just arriving from Turkey.

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They included clothing, handbags and jewelry.

The shipments were heading to Houston and Mission, Texas; Greenbush, Minnesota; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Morris, Illinois, officials said.

Counterfeiting and intellectual property rights piracy cost the U.S. economy between $200 billion and $250 billion per year, are responsible for the loss of 750,000 American jobs and pose a threat to health and safety, officials said.
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