Americans are expected to spend $18.2 billion on Valentine's Day, according to the National Retail Federation. Unfortunately, some of that amount may be diverted by counterfeiters attempting to cash in on that with phony goods.
"Valentine's Day is coming up. So you'll see an uptick in counterfeit colognes, perfumes cause those are common gifts," said Jason Molina, an assistant special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigation's New York field office.
Counterfeit goods are estimated to bring in $600-$700 billion a year worldwide, according to Molina—and that figure is growing. In fiscal year 2016, the Department of Homeland Security counterfeit good seizures were up 9 percent over the comparable year-ago period.
Not only is that money diverted from legitimate business, it can also fund other illicit activities.
"Billions of dollars that are made from these items can go to fund terrorist organizations and go fund other criminal elements throughout the world," said Molina.
Agents and investigators from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security are on the front lines of trying to stop the phony goods from entering the country.
It's the proverbial needle in the haystack, as eleven million shipping containers—each with as many as 2,000 boxes—enter the U.S. annually through various ports.
Recently, CNBC was on site when investigators examined a shipment entering a port in the Metropolitan New York-New Jersey. The entire shipment was believed to contain counterfeit perfumes, tucked away in just one of 3,000 containers that arrive at this hub daily.
With so many containers arriving each day, investigators say it's impossible to check each one. If CPB attempted to check every shipment, they say it could potentially grind economic activity to a halt. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimates that total North American freight activity is worth billions a year.
"We want to try to facilitate the legitimate cargo from coming into the country, and concentrate on the small percentage of volatile merchandise," said Al D'Onofrio, a CPB inspections chief.
Agents rely on what they call a risk based approach, checking the containers they think could be the most dangerous. One way to filter shipments is by manifests, which are filed before the containers arrive.
When the perfume shipment was opened, agents found bottles of Versace, Chanel, and Juicy Couture perfumes.
"The labeling is telling me it's from France, but yet it's coming from China, clear indication that this is going be counterfeit merchandise," said D'Onofrio.