Law enforcement agencies to enforce safety and discourage illegal merchandising/human trafficking during Super Bowl
The USCG and the HCSO will enforce marine safety zones and illegal charters in connection with Super Bowl LV-related events in Tampa, beginning Friday, January 29, through Sunday, February 7. The zone will include waters of Garrison Channel, Seddon Channel Turning Basin, and the Hillsborough River in the vicinity of downtown Tampa.
All persons and vessels will be required to transit the safety zone at a steady speed and may not slow down, stop, or anchor except in the case of unforeseen mechanical failure or other emergency. Any person or vessel forced to slow or stop in the zone shall immediately notify the Coast Guard via VHF channel 16.
Federal, state and local law enforcement partners will be joined by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to provide essential public safety efforts in and around the Tampa Bay area, to mitigate the threat posed by criminal organizations seeking to exploit and profit from criminal activity by way of counterfeit goods and human trafficking.
“I am proud of the efforts of HSI Tampa, the National Intellectual Property Rights Center and our public and private sector partners, who are working hard to make sure this is a safe event for everyone, despite the global pandemic,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director Patrick J. Lechleitner. “Large-scale events like the Super Bowl provide opportunities for transnational criminal organizations to commit and profit from illicit activity. As in years past, effective teamwork will be the key to success, on and off the field. For HSI, the size and scope of the task will again be met with personnel who are prepared to successfully execute the agency’s game plan and safeguard the city from national security and public safety threats during Super Bowl LV.”
Through Operation Team Player, the IPR Center, HSI, and its partners crack down on the illegal importation of counterfeit sports apparel and merchandise.
Throughout the year, warehouses, stores, flea markets, online marketplaces and street vendors selling counterfeit and game-related sportswear and tickets are identified throughout the country. The IPR Center leads coordinated efforts to target contraband that negatively impacts the economy, restricts the competitiveness of U.S. products in the global market, and poses health and safety hazards to the public.