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April 6, 2026Houston, TX, United StatesIntellectual Property Rights and Commercial Fraud

HSI, CBP and HPD conduct operation targeting counterfeit sports merchandise in Southwest Houston, seize nearly $2 million in counterfeit items

HOUSTON — ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Houston Police Department conducted an operation April 2, targeting a business in southwest Houston suspected of selling counterfeit sports merchandise. HSI, CBP and HPD seized more than 12,000 suspected counterfeit items with an estimated MSRP of $1.95 million.

The enforcement effort is part of “Operation Team Player,” a nationwide, multiagency operation conducted in conjunction with the IPR Center, CBP, state and local authorities, and major sports leagues to identify international shipments, online marketplaces, e-commerce platforms, markets and other retail outlets engaged in the sale of counterfeit goods.

Last year, more than 276,392 counterfeit sports items valued at $33.4 million MSRP were seized following a nationwide crackdown on fake merchandise.

“There’s a common misconception that counterfeiting only impacts large corporations, but in reality the impacts are far-reaching and often have the most immediate impact on small businesses that purchase expensive vendors’ licenses to sell authentic merchandise and can’t afford to lose revenue to counterfeiters who can easily undercut their prices,” said HSI Houston acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Burke. “Counterfeiting also impacts trademark holders who spend time, money and resources developing their brand, and consumers who are duped out of their hard-earned money falsely believing they’re receiving genuine merchandise, but instead receive substandard items made of cheap materials.”

“Trade in counterfeit consumer goods is illegal,” said CBP Houston Director of Field Operations Jud Murdock. “It threatens the health and safety of American consumers, steals revenues from trademark holders and tax revenues from the government, and it funds transnational criminal organizations. Counterfeit consumer goods may also be sourced or manufactured in facilities that employ forced labor. CBP and our law enforcement partners are committed to facilitating the smooth movement of legitimate goods while safeguarding the nation’s economic and national security.”

The public can protect themselves from counterfeiters by:

Always purchasing tickets through an authorized ticket broker.
Shopping only at authorized retail locations, rather than with street vendors, flea markets or other questionable sources.
Refusing to buy apparel with poor stitching, ripped tags, irregular markings or misspellings.
Keeping an eye out for items made from inferior quality materials or that have no official sewn-in or screen-printed labels identifying the licensee.
Regularly checking online bank statements, and keeping records of purchases and copies of confirmation pages and compare them to bank statements — as well as reporting discrepancies immediately.
Remembering that if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Criminals often use legit product photos on their websites but sell fraudulent products.

"The IPR Center’s “True Fans Keep It Real” campaign educates sports fans about the risks of counterfeit goods and provides resources to help consumers shop smart both online and in person. For more information about the dangers of counterfeit merchandise and tips on how consumers can support their teams with authentic gear, visit IPRCenter.gov/OpTeamPlayer.

For more news and information on HSI Houston and the Houston Homeland Security Task Force follow us on X at @HSIHouston.

Updated: 04/06/2026