How can you tell if a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes is fake?

Well, if you're paying $200 for a pair of $1,500 pumps, that might be a clue. Agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, not exactly a high-fashion bunch, had no problem picking out these red-soled illegal immigrants for further inspection this week.

What they found was a butt boat load of counterfeit Christian Louboutins, the hottest shoe for the ladies who lunch these days:

The CBP announced today that it seized 20,457 pairs with the French designer's name on them.

Credit: CBP

Credit: CBP

The finds were made in five shipments Tuesday and July 27 at the ports of L.A./Long Beach, says the CBP.

If the shoes were real, they'd be worth $18 million. But these made-in-China beauties were worth only $57,490, says the agency.

Todd C. Owen, CBP's L.A. field director:

This seizure illustrates the outstanding level of commodity expertise and vigilance of CBP import specialists and officers at our nation's largest seaport. CBP maintains an aggressive and proactive posture on intercepting shipments containing counterfeit and pirated items.

But really, people, are the folks who would pay $200, quite knowingly for fakes, going to spend four figures on Louboutins? Would those who would buy the real thing be caught dead in Chinese “Louboutins?”

Is the shoemaker really missing out on cash here? We think not.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.