CrimeFeb 06, 2026
Florida Man Sentenced After Selling Fake Native American Jewelry for a Decade CrimeApr 21, 2026
Customs Nabs 1,500 Pieces of Counterfeit Jewelry Bound for NYC
Seized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.
A gold-colored fake Fendi bangle. The bracelet was one of more than 1,500 pieces of counterfeit designer jewelry stopped and confiscated last week by customs agents in Kentucky. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Louisville, Ky.—Customs officials in Kentucky have seized two more shipments of fake designer jewelry, these ones originating in Hong Kong and bound for New York City.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced last week that agents in Louisville, Kentucky, confiscated 1,588 pieces of jewelry that turned out to be counterfeit.
The seized shipment included: 691 pairs of earrings, 522 bracelets, 197 necklaces, and 178 rings.
CBP said every single piece bore a brand name.
The shipment included pieces made to look like they were from fine jewelry brands—Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef and Arpels—as well as from high-end fashion houses that produce fine and fashion (costume) jewelry: Chanel, Christian Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Saint Laurent.
The jewelry would have retailed for $9.2 million had it been genuine.
CBP officers pulled the shipment aside because it suspected the jewelry was counterfeit.
They submitted documentation and photos to customs’ trade experts, who worked with the companies that hold the trademarks to verify the products were counterfeit.
Related stories will be right here …
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced last week that agents in Louisville, Kentucky, confiscated 1,588 pieces of jewelry that turned out to be counterfeit.
The seized shipment included: 691 pairs of earrings, 522 bracelets, 197 necklaces, and 178 rings.
CBP said every single piece bore a brand name.
The shipment included pieces made to look like they were from fine jewelry brands—Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef and Arpels—as well as from high-end fashion houses that produce fine and fashion (costume) jewelry: Chanel, Christian Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Saint Laurent.
The jewelry would have retailed for $9.2 million had it been genuine.
CBP officers pulled the shipment aside because it suspected the jewelry was counterfeit.
They submitted documentation and photos to customs’ trade experts, who worked with the companies that hold the trademarks to verify the products were counterfeit.
Seizures of counterfeit items are not uncommon.
CBP said it seized more than 78 million counterfeit goods in 2025 that would have been worth more than $7 billion if genuine.
The items confiscated last year included multiple shipments of fake Cartier, Rolex, and Audemars Piguet watches that were headed to New York City, Houston, and Irving, Texas; more than 7,000 pairs of counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels earrings that were on their way to a residence in Miami; and multiple shipments of fake Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry that were headed to residences in Pennsylvania, Florida, and North Carolina, as well as to a business in Wyoming, Michigan.
The CBP noted that counterfeit goods, including all the fake luxury watches and jewelry, are sold via underground outlets and on third-party e-commerce sites, and consumers often buy them thinking they are getting an authentic piece of brand-name jewelry for a great price.
However, the items they are purchasing are of poor quality, and often are made using “harmful and banned” materials by laborers operating under sub-standard conditions, said CBP.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Crime
The Latest
SurveysOct 09, 2026
These Will Be the 10 Busiest Days for In-Store Shopping This Holiday SeasonStores should expect to see the most customers on Nov. 27, and Christmas week is expected to be hectic too, as Dec. 25 falls on a Friday.
CollectionsOct 09, 2026
Elisa Solomon Collabs With Serendipity 3 on ‘Frozen Hot Chocolate’ CharmThe charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.
AuctionsOct 09, 2026
8-Carat Blue Diamond Goes Unsold at UK Jewelry Auction The top lot of Elmwood’s recent fine jewelry sale in London was a 1.84-carat, D color Tiffany & Co. solitaire diamond ring.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
WatchesOct 09, 2026
Movado to Sell Majority Stake in Ebel for $66.5MThe watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.
Weekly QuizOct 08, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
Events & AwardsOct 08, 2026
Pattons Fine Jewelry Sweeps Local Design ContestAra Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.
AuctionsOct 08, 2026
Reba McEntire’s Jewelry, Watches Head to Julien’s AuctionsThe live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
Blue Nile, Royal Asscher Collection Highlights Natural Diamond BeautyBlue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
4 Standout Pieces in Audemars Piguet’s First High Jewelry Collection “Royal Oak” pays homage to the brand’s most popular watch model using 18-karat gold as well as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.
MajorsOct 07, 2026
Empire Safe & Vault Promotes Juan Morales to CEOAs part of the transition, Joseph Nicosia has stepped into the role of COO.
SourcingOct 07, 2026
AGTA Extends Deadline for 2026 Spectrum Awards EntriesParticipants now have until Oct. 14 to complete their submissions.
ColumnistsOct 06, 2026
Sherry Smith: Is the Consumer Really Trading Up?Ahead of the holidays, Smith urges jewelers to take a hard look at who’s buying jewelry, what they’re purchasing, and who’s stopped buying.
SourcingOct 06, 2026
DDG Taps Influencers for ‘My Diamond Does Good’ CampaignIn the new consumer-facing campaign, four fashion and lifestyle creators share the stories behind their natural diamond pieces.
MajorsOct 06, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names COO, CMOFGI President John Orrico is also leaving the company after more than 13 years.
Events & AwardsOct 06, 2026
JIS Fall Returns to MiamiThe 2026 edition will feature presentations on alternative materials and design trends, as well as pop-up activations on the show floor.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
De Beers to Take Full Ownership of Gahcho KuéIt is the last fully operational diamond mine in Canada following the recent closures of Ekati and Diavik.
AuctionsOct 05, 2026
The Star Cats of the Sandy Lerner AuctionThese jewels stood out at Bonhams’ sale of the cat-loving tech entrepreneur’s collection of objects depicting the feline form.
CollectionsOct 05, 2026
Sorellina Writes Another Love Letter for ‘Postscript’ CollectionThe fine jewelry brand has expanded the collection that debuted at Couture with four new designs based on its most popular styles.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
Bruce Bridges Joins CIBJO BoardThe AGTA president was elected for a two-year term on the board of directors.
SourcingOct 02, 2026
De Beers, National Geographic Society Renew Okavango Eternal Partnership The partnership, a pledge to protect Africa’s Okavango River Basin, has been extended for an additional five years.
MajorsOct 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New $150M Manufacturing Facility in VietnamThe new facility, its first outside of Thailand, will boost its manufacturing capacity by 50 percent.
