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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Indianapolis recently seized $5 million worth of fake jewelry that was being attempted to be smuggled into the United States. All of the 2,172 items bore a luxury designer’s protected trademark, but none of them were real.
The counterfeit jewelry arrived in Indianapolis in two shipments over two days in late January. Both shipments came from China and contained rings, brooches, bracelets, charms, necklaces and earrings.
“When CBP officers examined the shipments to determine the admissibility of the goods, they found, in total, 1,439 charms with Tiffany and Co. logos, 496 rings bearing Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels logos, 124 bracelets displaying the logos of Cartier, Chanel, and Juste Un, 64 necklaces with Chanel and Van Cleef and Arpels logos, 31 pendants bearing Van Cleef and Arpels logos, 12 pairs of earrings with Van Cleef and Arpels and Chanel logos, and six Brooches with Chanel logos,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection revealed in a press release.
The items were seized for infringing on the designer’s protected trademarks. Had the jewelry been real, the combined manufacturer’s suggested retail price for these products would have been $5.2 million, according to trade experts with the CBP Centers of Excellence and Expertise.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
“This is just another example of the work our officers do to protect consumers and the U.S. economy. As consumers increasingly purchase merchandise from online or third-party vendors, our officers are at the frontline guarding against violative individuals and entities expecting to make money by selling fake merchandise,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations-Chicago Field Office.
Just like during the Christmas chopping season, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Louisville saved customers from potentially being ripped off when they seized over $18 million worth of fake designer jewelry and watches, it is assumed that these counterfeit products were being imported to be sold with Valentine’s Day just around the corner.
Meanwhile, over in Eagle Pass, Texas, CBP officers recently seize undeclared commodities valued at over $1.9 million. The items were found in a 2012 Kenworth T800 tractor pulling a trailer that had been claimed to contain just $7,936 worth of “other made-up articles, including dress.” Inside, however, there was 26 pallets of cigarettes with 1,050 boxes or 52,500 cartons and four pallets of protein powder with 216 boxes or 1,296 bags.