More than three decades have passed since TV series “Little House on the Prairie” went off the air, but the show seems to have maintained a large enough fan base that warrants a black market for counterfeit DVDs of the long-expired show.
Field agents with the Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations at the Pacific Highway Port of Entry found 10 boxes containing DVDs of the show, a western drama series that ran from 1974 to 1983. In another 20 boxes, agents uncovered 20 boxes of Canadian TV show, Republic of Doyle, a comedy-drama series that ran from 2010 to 2014.
“The DVDs were seized because the importer violated United States laws,” Blaine, Wash., Area Port Director Kenneth Williams said in a statement. “Our vital national security mission also includes protecting businesses and consumers through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights enforcement mandate.”
Two other shipments in February also contained counterfeit DVDs of American and Canadian TV shows. Agents said they were alerted to the fake merchandise by of the bogus DVD label on the items. The counterfeit logos violate a CBP recordation trademark and United States Code, title 19, Chapter 14, which deals with counterfeit items.
