Pirated Luggage Lock Shipment Seized at Port of Miami by US Customs Agents

On the eve of the busy 2007 holiday season, Safe Skies Luggage Locks, the direct manufacturer and distributor of patented TSA luggage locks , working in close cooperation with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), announced an unprecedented seizure of pirated luggage locks at the port of Miami - the quantity and product is believed to be a first in the history of CBP seizures. The seizure took place during the critical commercial trading days leading up to Christmas and the New Year. The luggage locks seized by CBP were imported by Travelpro. All of the seized luggage locks were Travel Sentry Certified. Rather than being distributed to retailers, these seized luggage locks will be disposed of shortly.

The illegal shipment was successfully intercepted by US Customs agents as it made its way from China destined for unsuspecting consumers in the United States. This operation brought relief to Safe Skies Luggage Locks, the company that solely developed unique themed luggage lock collections including, Flower Power, Camouflage, Animalique Boutique, Geometrics, Patriot, and Liberty Bell luggage locks .

"Safe Skies wants to do business in a fair way and we want others in the marketplace to be equally fair by trading in authentic patented luggage locks and not supporting piracy" said Shawn Baig, director of Search and Seizure operations at Safe Skies. "The real winner today is the traveling public who can rest assured that the quality of their luggage locks will not be compromised by counterfeiting or piracy" said Mr. Baig. "Travelers have continued confidence that Safe Skies Luggage Locks allow them to lock their luggage with the best-built, most unique, and creative luggage locks on the market."

As the leading distributor of authentic patented luggage locks , Safe Skies ( http://www.safeskieslocks.com ) sells 100+ different styles of luggage locks accepted and recognized by United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and by United Kingdom's Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). All Safe Skies Luggage Locks

( http://www.safeskieslocks.com ) are protected by US Patents 7,021,537 and 7,036,728 with worldwide patents pending.

Safe Skies credits the successful counterfeit seizure to the global reach of CBP, Dan Baldwin, US Customs and Border Protection Assistant Commissioner for International Trade and Dan's team of professionals. "We've found a true partner in CBP. We brought very specific information on a pirated luggage lock shipment to the attention of CBP. Dan Baldwin's team turned our accurate intelligence into real results. We are most impressed with CBP's commitment to aggressively eliminate the piracy problem in the luggage lock business. Together we will block pirated luggage locks from entering the marketplace and destroy pirated merchandise before it reaches unsuspecting consumers" said Mr. Baig.

While all involved in executing the seizure were delighted with the efficiency and effectiveness of the seizure, Safe Skies was quick to warn that similar operations will methodically continue and escalate in the future. Anyone trading in luggage locks should expect interception, seizure, and destruction of pirated luggage locks in the coming days and months. The issue on the agenda, which isn't coming off, is that CBP is committed to aggressively tracking down importers on Watch Lists and demonstrating that behavior, such as counterfeiting, will not be tolerated.

"CBP's efforts and commitment to purge the marketplace of counterfeit luggage locks , while often times not spoken about publicly, are ongoing and underway even at this very moment" said Mr. Baig. While operations like that send a strong message, Safe Skies hopes that its success will serve as a deterrent for others in the marketplace engaging in similar activities, while teaching a lesson to be respectful of intellectual property rights.

"Expensive and lengthy litigation is not required to block the flow of infringing luggage locks . Close cooperation with authorities can result in targeted, quick, and successful results for intellectual property rights owners" said Mr. Baig. The operation to seize pirated luggage locks is the first of many in a joint effort committed to "clean up" a marketplace infested with pirated products.

Pirated Luggage Lock Shipment Seized at Port of Miami by US Customs Agents

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