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