A semi loaded with $5.7 million in counterfeit Nike shoes and Louis Vuitton leather jackets and bags was seized after a traffic stop near Cheyenne Monday night.
The knockoffs apparently were produced in China, imported to Los Angeles and were enroute to New York City, when the truck was pulled over on Interstate 80 a mile west of Cheyenne.
The counterfeit goods occupied 18 pallets inside the trailer.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol stated this afternoon that while it is not illegal to buy counterfeit merchandise, it is illegal to produce and sell it, which violates patent, trademark or copyright laws.
“Knowingly selling counterfeit clothing and items is just like stealing,” the agency stated.
“The counterfeiter passes off the item as the real thing, which you pay for, thus stealing your hard-earned money.”
The truck driver’s name and employer were not released.
The seized merchandise was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of the ongoing investigation into those involved in the operation.
