Experience With US Customs (CBP) - E-Commerce and the De Minimis Rule For Counterfeit Goods - MOU...

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Profile of Angelo Mazza (www.gibney.com/professionals/...)
Summary of the Most Important Points

1. Introduction:

• Angelo Mazza, a partner at Gibney Anthony and Flaherty, LLP, is the guest on the IP Friday’s podcast. He specializes in brand protection and enforcement strategies and works extensively with law enforcement on intellectual property (IP) related crimes.




2. Experience with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP):

• Angelo has over 30 years of experience training over 60,000 law enforcement officials, including US Customs, Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the FBI. He started working with CBP in the early 1990s, training them on identifying various products and discussing enforcement-related matters.




3. Evolving Threats and E-Commerce:

• The threats CBP faces have evolved significantly over time, with e-commerce being the biggest game-changer. The volume and type of cargo have increased, and CBP now deals with a much larger scale of goods, including counterfeit and illicit pharmaceuticals.




4. De Minimis and Counterfeit Goods:

• The de minimis rule, which allows small-value parcels under $800 to pass duty-free, has been exploited by counterfeiters. This has led to a significant number of counterfeit goods entering the US, creating challenges for CBP in identifying and intercepting these goods.




5. Customs’ Efforts and Operations:

• CBP has become more aggressive in stopping counterfeit goods and illicit pharmaceuticals, conducting operations like Operation Artemis and Operation Apollo. These efforts have led to a decrease in IP seizures as resources focus more on significant threats like fentanyl.




6. Role of Rights Holders:

• Rights holders can protect themselves by recording their trademarks with CBP, providing training to customs officials, and responding quickly to inquiries about suspicious packages. Live training is preferred for its direct engagement and effectiveness.




7. Success Stories:

• Angelo shared success stories where CBP’s efforts, in collaboration with HSI, led to the seizure of millions of dollars worth of counterfeit goods and the shutdown of operations exploiting the de minimis rule.




8. US Chamber’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CBP:

• The US Chamber has developed an MOU with CBP, allowing brands to share worldwide seizure information, which aids in risk assessment and targeting counterfeit goods. This collaboration includes the donation of technology tools to assist customs in identifying counterfeit products.


Full Transcript
Introduction:
Our guest today on the IP Friday’s podcast is Angelo Mazza. Angelo is a partner with the law firm, Gibney Anthony and Flaherty, LLP, located in New York City. Angelo counsels clients in developing brand protection and enforcement strategies and works extensively with law enforcement on intellectual property related crimes. He has trained over 60,000 law enforcement officials, including US Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. For over 30 years, Angelo has provided training sessions for law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels through the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition and its foundation. As the current director of US training, he is the driving force behind the IACC’s educational materials to assist law enforcement in fighting intellectual property crimes. Welcome Angelo to the IP Friday’s podcast.
Experience with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP):
Hi Ken, thanks for having me. Great introduction. I should read that more often. Excellent, and for our listeners purposes, Angelo and I have known each other for many years as I first started practicing law with the law firm, Gibney Anthony and Flaherty. So it’s great to be talking to you once again. Glad to be here, Ken. So Angelo, how did you get your start working so much with US Customs and Border Protection, otherwise known as CBP? Well, you know, Ken, it really is funny. You know how sometimes you fall into something? I kind of fell into it. I started doing the ...