Pittsburgh CBP seizes knock-off DVDs from Hong Kong

Fans of Showtime’s Shameless, HBO’s Game of Thrones, and CBS’s Big Bang Theory might find it difficult to find knockoffs of the latest seasons at their local Pittsburgh area flea markets after US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers recently seized more than 250 DVDs and DVD sets.

The counterfeit DVDs, shipped from Hong Kong, have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of about $19,000, if authentic.

CBP officers initially detained seven shipments of DVDs, which were concealed within courier packages manifested as learning materials, plastic cases, packing boxes and office supplies, during September.

CBP officers and trade specialists submitted samples to CBP’s Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEE), the agency’s trade experts, who determined the DVDs to be counterfeit.