Feds seize websites selling counterfeit merchandise

Federal authorities have seized 150 website domain names they say were used to traffic counterfeit brand-name merchandise, The Los Angeles Times reports. The website seizures targeted the illegal sales of a host of counterfeit products, including professional sports jerseys, golf equipment, DVDs, shoes, handbags and sunglasses, authorities announced Monday. Visitors to the sites now find a banner that says the domain name has been seized by federal authorities and that copyright infringement is a federal crime. During the investigation, federal law enforcement agents made undercover purchases of a host of products from online retailers, officials say. In most cases, the goods were shipped directly into the United States from suppliers in other countries. If the trademark holders confirmed the purchased products were counterfeit, seizure orders for the domain names of the websites that sold the goods and those of associated websites were obtained from federal judges, authorities say. The seizures are part of an ongoing investigation authorities dubbed “Operation In Our Sites,” which targeted online counterfeiting and piracy. Since its launch in 2010, the operation has seized 350 domain names that were allegedly used to sell counterfeit goods. Agencies involved include the Justice Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the FBI.