WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal authorities say they seized more than $25,000 in fake merchandise leading up to the NHL's Winter Classic.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Monday that officers seized 680 items of counterfeit NHL gear and other sportswear. ICE says those items included jerseys, hats, T-shirts, and posters, and are worth $25,130.
The operation was led by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of Metropolitan Police.
Clark Settles, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations, called the seizures a win for intellectual property rights.
Settles says most people don't realize that "the sale of those counterfeit products costs their fellow Americans jobs and results in a loss of revenue for legitimate American businesses."
The Winter Classic was held on New Year's Day in Washington.
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