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‘Tis the season, for counterfeit goods. With holiday shopping at a fever pitch, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Louisville saved customers from potentially being ripped off when they recently seized over $18 million worth of fake designer jewelry and watches.
The counterfeit designer watches, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings were discovered coming into the United States on December 17 and 18 when two shipments arrived from Hong Kong and China destined for residences in Arizona, Virginia, Florida and New York. The 962 pieces of counterfeit items were seized after CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise, the agency’s trade experts, determined that they were all knock-offs.
During examination of the shipments to determine the admissibility of the goods, CBP officers found 459 bracelets displaying the logos of Cartier, Chanel, Fendi, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, and Van Cleef and Arpels, 43 pairs of earrings with Van Cleef and Arpels and Cartier logos, 20 necklaces with Van Cleef and Arpels logos, and 440 watches bearing the Rolex logo. None of them were legit.
Had they been real, the watches, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings would have had a combined manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $18.81 million. Instead, they were seized for infringing on the designers’ protected trademarks.
“Counterfeit items defraud both the consumer and legitimate businesses. Our officers are committed to diligently working to protect our economy and the American consumer,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations, Chicago Field Office. “Customs and Border Protection urges you to protect your families by purchasing authentic consumer products from reputable retailers.”
Impressive work by Louisville CBP officers in intercepting fake designer watches & jewelry worth millions! Our teams work hard to prevent fakes from harming US consumers & businesses while stopping the flow of $ to fund criminal activity. 💪 #OFOProud
➡️ https://t.co/xNyI9EMYW2 pic.twitter.com/AwosBEidtJ— (A)Executive Asst. Commissioner Diane J. Sabatino (@OFOEAC) December 26, 2024
According to the CBP, “The illicit trafficking of counterfeit goods offers criminals a complementary source of income and a way through which they can launder money. Additionally, monies received from the sale of counterfeit products can be channeled towards the further production of fake goods or other illicit activities. Additionally, counterfeiting is a hugely profitable business, with criminals relying on the continued high demand for cheap goods coupled with low production costs.”