Customs agents seize 22,000 fake Pennsylvania vehicle inspection stickers shipped from Israel

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The USA Customs and Border Protection Agency said it seized more than 20,000 counterfeit Pennsylvania vehicle inspection stickers shipped from Israel to an address in Philadelphia.

Customs officials found the stickers in two different shipments that arrived on two different days, Nov. 26 and Dec. 9, and confirmed with Pennsylvania authorities that the stickers were counterfeit, the agency said.

The agency did not say in a statement Thursday who sent the stickers, who would receive them or what purpose the stickers would serve. The agency says it has made no arrests.

If they were real, the 22,000 stickers would have a value of $1.4 million, the agency said. Selling fake vehicle inspection stickers is illegal and a persistent problem for law enforcement, albeit on a much smaller scale.

Pennsylvania requires motor vehicles to be inspected annually to ensure they meet minimum mechanical, safety and emissions standards. Punishment for using a fake inspection sticker could mean a fine of up to $500 and jail time, the agency said.