US Customs and Border Protection seized 14,806 pairs of bootleg Nike shoes that landed at the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport. According to customs, if authentic, the shipment would have an estimated retail price of $2,247,680 USD.
Packed in two containers, the shipment arrived from China and was misleadingly declared as "napkins." Images shared by customs show several pairs of Off-White™ x Nike Air Jordan 1s, while other fake models included the Air Jordan 12, Air Jordan 11, and Air Max 97.
US Customs and Border Protection further assessed the seizure by noting, "These special edition Nike and retro designs are highly coveted by collectors and sport shoes enthusiasts. A legitimate pair can potentially sell for $1,500 dollars and up to $2,000 online. Consumers shopping online are eventually likely to encounter fraudulent sellers." The fake sneaker industry can directly lead to lost revenue for local economies, a loss of jobs, and can even pose a threat to public health and safety.
To explore the other side of the coin, here's why you should think twice about stigmatizing people who wear fake designer labels.
