Pokemon - http://phatbowling.com/pikachuthunder/Chicagos_poke

Counterfeit Pokemon Cards Seized!
Customs Officials Have Confiscated $50,000 Worth of Apparently Counterfeit Charizard, Jigglypuff, Diglett Cards

CHICAGO (Sept. 29) - The booming popularity of Pokemon monsters is drawing counterfeiters.

Customs officials announced Tuesday that they had confiscated $50,000 worth of apparently counterfeit Charizard, Jigglypuff, Diglett cards and other Pokemon merchandise being shipped through O'Hare International Airport from Japan.

And officials said they expect many more Pokemon seizures in Chicago.

''We start to see an increase in commercial shipments this time of year, for the holidays,'' said Supervisory Inspector Marc Woods. ''And every year at this time we start to see what is going to be the counterfeit import of choice.''

The Pokemon fad has become so hot that both children and their parents are shelling out as much as $100 for individual cards on the secondary market. Packets of 11 are supposed to retail for $2.99.

Nintendo's hot Pokemon franchise involves 150 monsters with special powers. The seized merchandise includes game cards, videos and trading cards.

The merchandise cannot be officially ruled counterfeit until a customs toy specialist inspects them, but the cards did not have the Nintendo trademark logo found on official cards, authorities said.

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Page Updated Mon Oct 11, 1999 8:21pm EDT