Dulles officers seize 2,250 cartons of counterfeit Camel cigarettes worth more than $400K
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Washington Dulles International Airport seized 2,250 cartons of counterfeit Camel cigarettes that would have been worth more than $400,000 had they been genuine, the agency said.
What CBP found
What we know:
CBP officers seized the cigarettes on Aug. 14 after inspecting a shipment containing 45 boxes labeled "Camel Yellow Cigarettes."
The shipment arrived at Dulles from Singapore through Japan on July 11 and was headed to an address in Miami, according to CBP.
Each box contained 50 cartons of Camel-branded cigarettes.
Why officers stopped the shipment
What they're saying:
CBP said officers detained the shipment after noticing an unusual logo design, markings and routing.
The agency’s trade experts then worked with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company to authenticate the products. The company confirmed the cigarettes were not genuine, CBP said.
The cartons would have been valued at $404,842 if authentic.
Why counterfeit cigarettes are a concern
Why you should care:
"Counterfeit cigarettes deprive the United States of tax revenue and pose a serious health concern to smokers who have no idea what, if any, dangerous chemicals they are actually inhaling with the tobacco," said Christine Waugh, CBP’s Area Port Director for Washington, D.C.
CBP said counterfeit goods can harm consumers, deprive trademark holders and governments of revenue, and may help fund transnational criminal organizations.
By the numbers:
During fiscal year 2025, CBP officers and Homeland Security Investigations special agents seized nearly 78.4 million shipments containing goods that violated intellectual-property rights, according to CBP.
The agency said the seized products would have had an estimated retail value of more than $7.4 billion had they been genuine.
The Source: This article was written using information from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.