Federal Authorities Seize Hundreds Of Counterfeit Bryce Harper Jerseys
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Hundreds of counterfeit Phillies' Bryce Harper jerseys have been seized by federal authorities in Philadelphia since Opening Day. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement Friday that 314 fake Harper jerseys are now in the hands of the federal government.
If authentic, the jerseys would be worth over $40,000.
Authorities say the jerseys arrived in six express delivery shipments from Hong Kong, with the largest shipment containing 204 Harper jerseys. The remaining shipments contained between 18 and 25 uniforms.
The jerseys were destined to addresses in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware before they were seized.
"Transnational criminal organizations counterfeit popular consumer products and Mr. Harper's Phillies jersey is among the hottest consumer goods selling today, so it was a good bet that we'd start seeing counterfeit Harper jerseys," said Casey Durst, director of field operations in Baltimore for Customs and Border Protection. "Customs and Border Protection officers will continue to work closely with our trade and consumer safety partners to identify and seize counterfeit merchandise, especially those products that may potentially harm our nation's consumers."
Harper's No. 3 Phillies jersey is the top-selling jersey in Major League Baseball.