Customs Seizes $5.6M in Counterfeit Jewelry, Watches

Louisville, Ky.—U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Louisville, Kentucky intercepted three packages containing counterfeit jewelry and watches worth about $5.6 million.

On July 30, officials seized a package containing 580 counterfeit pieces of David Yurman jewelry. If genuine, the package would be worth about $365,400.

A second shipment was found that day containing 2,411 counterfeit watches said to be from various designer brands. If these watches were authentic, they’d be worth more than $4.46 million.

The final shipment arrived on July 31, containing 10 counterfeit Rolex watches with a genuine worth of $756,500.

All shipments came from Hong Kong and were headed to Ontario; California; Jonesboro, Georgia; and Worcester, Massachusetts, respectively.

An import specialist from CBP’s Center of Excellence and Expertise examined the items and confirmed they were counterfeits.

“These types of seizures happen every night. Our officers are very well trained and vigilant in stopping these illegal shipments from reaching their destinations,” said LaFonda Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations-Chicago Field Office, in a press release about the seizures.

“Whether it is Intellectual Property Right violations, narcotics, unapproved items, or counterfeit products, our officers will continue to protect our local communities and our ports of entry.”

CBP has an educational initiative available online to educate consumers about the dangers surrounding counterfeit goods.

To avoid purchasing counterfeit goods, CBP recommends buying products directly from authorized retailers and to be wary of prices that seem too good to be true.

When shopping online, the organization recommends reading seller reviews and checking for a working U.S. phone number and an address that can be used to contact the seller.

For more information, visit the CBP website.