The Problem

Illicit trade hides in plain sight

Counterfeit and illicit products are moving through licensed retail storefronts in neighborhoods across the country — often in plain view, behind the counter of a store families trust.

What we're up against

Organized networks increasingly use legitimate retail as a channel for illicit and counterfeit goods. Because these products pass through licensed storefronts, they can reach consumers with the appearance of legitimacy — making the harm harder to see and harder to stop.

Consumers are exposed to unregulated and potentially unsafe products. Young people are put at risk. Honest, law-abiding businesses are undercut by competitors who ignore the rules. And local law enforcement and governments are left to confront sophisticated, well-resourced operations with limited tools and information.

This is not a victimless problem, and it is not confined to one product or one place. It is a pattern of organized retail crime that erodes public safety and community trust wherever it takes hold.

The scale of the problem

Illicit and counterfeit trade is large, costly, and far-reaching. The dimensions below describe the shape of the problem.

Widespread
Illicit product trafficking reaches communities and storefronts across the country, not one product or one place.
Public health
Unregulated products put consumers, and especially young people, at real risk.
Economic harm
Counterfeit goods drain value from the U.S. economy every year, from lost sales to lost tax revenue.
Retail losses
Organized retail crime imposes serious and growing losses on legitimate businesses.

What we're doing about it

See how the Initiative works to disrupt illicit trade and protect communities.

Our approach