CrimeMay 06, 2022
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Indiana Customs Agents Seize $10M in Counterfeit Rolex Watches
Officers in Indianapolis confiscated two shipments containing a total of 460 fake Rolex watches headed to Brooklyn.
Two shipments containing a total of 460 fake Rolex watches were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Indiana, worth more than $10 million had they been genuine.
Indianapolis—Customs agents seized shipments containing more than 400 counterfeit Rolex watches last month that would have been worth more than $10 million had they been genuine.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, officers in Indianapolis confiscated two shipments on April 27 and 29 from a vendor with a history of fraudulent shipments.
The packages contained 460 counterfeit Rolex watches worth $10.1 million had they been real.
Both shipments originated from Hong Kong and were headed to a residence in Brooklyn, New York.
In fiscal year 2021, CBP seized 27,107 shipments nationwide with intellectual property rights violations. Had the products inside been genuine, the total retail price of the items would have been valued at more than $3.3 billion.
This is a 152 percent increase compared with the prior fiscal year, when seized goods were valued at $1.31 billion retail. CPB attributed the rise in retail price values to both an overall increase in the number of counterfeit seizures and a return to pre-pandemic trading levels.
Apparel and accessories were at the top for number of seizures in FY 2021 but watches and jewelry topped products seized in terms of retail value, with seizures valued at over $1.18 billion, representing 36 percent of the total.
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According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, officers in Indianapolis confiscated two shipments on April 27 and 29 from a vendor with a history of fraudulent shipments.
The packages contained 460 counterfeit Rolex watches worth $10.1 million had they been real.
Both shipments originated from Hong Kong and were headed to a residence in Brooklyn, New York.
In fiscal year 2021, CBP seized 27,107 shipments nationwide with intellectual property rights violations. Had the products inside been genuine, the total retail price of the items would have been valued at more than $3.3 billion.
This is a 152 percent increase compared with the prior fiscal year, when seized goods were valued at $1.31 billion retail. CPB attributed the rise in retail price values to both an overall increase in the number of counterfeit seizures and a return to pre-pandemic trading levels.
Apparel and accessories were at the top for number of seizures in FY 2021 but watches and jewelry topped products seized in terms of retail value, with seizures valued at over $1.18 billion, representing 36 percent of the total.
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