There are a growing number of insidious ways counterfeit and stolen goods end up in the hands of unwitting consumers, and the boundaries between legitimate and illicit markets are becoming increasingly blurred.

Through counterfeiting and trafficking in stolen goods, governments lose billions of dollars in tax revenue, legitimate businesses lose billions of dollars in diverted income, and consumers are exposed to poorly made and expired products that often pose a threat to their health and safety. Law enforcement worldwide must continually evolve their techniques and approaches to combat the criminal organizations behind these activities and protect the public from the risks associated with these goods.

Within the United States, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is authorized to investigate a wide array of crimes related to counterfeiting, organized retail crime, and the associated illicit markets that support these activities. Formed under the Homeland Security Act of 2002, HSI’s predecessor organization, Office of Investigations, was empowered with authorities previously held by the dissolved U.S. Customs Service. This includes “border search authority,” which authorizes HSI special agents to “cause inspection, examination, and search to be made of the persons, baggage, and merchandise” entering the customs territory of the United States. It also provides access to the data underpinning the modern international trade system. The combination of these powerful authorities uniquely positions HSI to combat illicit goods and markets.