ABC News reported today that over 20,000 pairs of counterfeit Louboutin shoes were seized at the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport. If those pairs were real, they would have added up to a value of $18 million, a significant number considering the $178.3 million in counterfeit goods U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized last year.

The shoes with the iconic red bottoms retail anywhere from $625 for a classic pump to several thousand for other designs. According to CBP, the counterfeit shoes cost less than $3 per pair to make. It’s no wonder footwear was the most commonly seized item for five years running (2005-2010).

The shoes will be destroyed, but had they found their way to the black market, chief CBP officer Guillermina Escobar told ABC that “they would likely have been sold on illegitimate websites and underground outlets, some of which may fail to mention the shoes are counterfeits.”

Counterfeit goods have a significant impact on the economy. Citing data from the Chamber, ABC noted that counterfeit goods cost the global economy $250 billion a year. 

There’s also a safety consideration. Counterfeit items aren’t limited to luxury goods—baby cribs, electrical cords, and even smoke detectors are just a few items being faked. Even scarier, 96% of online pharmacies are not in compliance with U.S. standards and laws, and half of all counterfeit drugs are bought on the internet.

These alarming facts prompted the Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center’s recent consumer awareness campaign. Aimed at educating consumers about the dangers of fake goods, the campaign is currently airing in New York City’s Times Square through September 30. To learn more, visit www.DangerousFakes.com.