ICE Seizes 150 Website Domains Selling Counterfeit Goods

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has seized 150 website domain names that were illegally selling and distributing counterfeit merchandise to mark the official beginning of the online holiday shopping season, known as Cyber Monday. The websites sold counterfeit professionals ports jerseys, footwear, handbags, sunglasses, golf equipment, and DVD sets, representing a variety of trademarks. In most cases, the counterfeit goods were shipped directly into the U.S. from suppliers in other countries. This operation is the 8th phase of "Operation In Our Sites," a law enforcement initiative to protect consumers by targeting counterfeit and piracy on the Internet. The 150 domain names seized represent a more than 80% increase over the 82 websites that were seized in the 2010 Cyber Monday-related operation.