Counterfeit Stanley Cup Championship Rings Seized at US Border
It looks like someone's hopes of making a few extra dollars were dashed by a few U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
According to a tweet from CBP Buffalo, a large shipment of fake NHL Stanley Cup Championship Rings was seized by CBP officers at the US Border Crossing in Champlain, New York.
The counterfeit rings are alleged to be illegal replicas of the Championship Rings there were issued to the 1936 Detroit Red Wings team for winning the NHL Stanley Cup Championship that year. CBP officials suspect that these 10 rings violate the Intellectual Property Rights and trademarks of the NHL and Detroit Red Wings. It's estimated that the rings have a street value of around $15,000.
Our CBP officers take pride in the work they do which includes protecting our economy and consumers from counterfeit goods... Their role is crucial in protecting both the consumer and businesses from imported fraudulent items.
-Steven Bronson, Director of the Port of Champlain
It's illegal to traffic and import counterfeit materials into the United States. Federal officials estimate that more than $4 billion in counterfeit goods are sold around the world every year. Its fairly common for officials to find pirated and counterfeit materials at the border crossings we have here in Western New York. Just in February more than $2 million in fake watches were seized by CBP officers in February.
I guess this means we now have one less chance for our beloved Buffalo Sabres to get their hands on some Stanley Cup rings. Looks like we need to get them the old-fashioned way.