CrimeAug 25, 2026
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Customs Seizes Nearly 900 Pieces of Counterfeit Jewelry
The package, intercepted in Indianapolis, contained fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef and Arpels jewelry.
A fake Cartier “Love” bracelet. The bracelet, along with 875 other pieces of counterfeit jewelry, was found in a package bound for Georgia that customs agents confiscated last week in Indianapolis. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Indianapolis—U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents at Indianapolis’ express consignment facility confiscated nearly 900 pieces of counterfeit jewelry last week.
The package, sent from Hong Kong, was headed to a residence in Georgia.
The items included 875 earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, that if genuine, would have retailed for more than $3.7 million.
There were also five designer handbags.
All items bore suspected Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Versace, Gucci, Tiffany & Co., Cartier, and Van Cleef and Arpels trademarks, CBP said.
Trade experts at CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise determined the items to be counterfeit.
“CBP has an exceptional team of officers and import specialists who are experts in identifying counterfeit goods and work closely with private industry to thwart intellectual property infringement,” said Indianapolis Port Director Brett Mueller.
“CBP remains committed to stopping counterfeit smuggling, taking profits from organized crime, and protecting communities from potentially hazardous knockoffs.”
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The package, sent from Hong Kong, was headed to a residence in Georgia.
The items included 875 earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, that if genuine, would have retailed for more than $3.7 million.
There were also five designer handbags.
All items bore suspected Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Versace, Gucci, Tiffany & Co., Cartier, and Van Cleef and Arpels trademarks, CBP said.
Trade experts at CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise determined the items to be counterfeit.
“CBP has an exceptional team of officers and import specialists who are experts in identifying counterfeit goods and work closely with private industry to thwart intellectual property infringement,” said Indianapolis Port Director Brett Mueller.
“CBP remains committed to stopping counterfeit smuggling, taking profits from organized crime, and protecting communities from potentially hazardous knockoffs.”
Jewelry, handbags, wallets, apparel, footwear, watches, and consumer electronics are at higher risk of being counterfeited, according to CBP data.
Counterfeit goods are produced in “unregulated and potentially exploitative environments” in foreign countries, CBP said, and sale profits fund organized crime.
Illegitimate sales are some of the most profitable transnational crimes, according to CBP.
Counterfeiters sell fake versions of popular products in response to trends, often through online sources, which adversely impacts legitimate U.S. businesses, the agency added.
CBP works to protect the intellectual property rights of American businesses through the Intellectual Property Rights enforcement program.
Counterfeit items can also pose serious health and safety risks to American consumers, as they are often made with substandard or harmful materials, CBP said.
The agency further highlights the consequences and dangers that can be associated with the purchase of counterfeit and pirated goods in its Truth Behind Counterfeits campaign.
In 2025, CBP seized nearly 79 million counterfeit items that would have been worth more than $7.3 billion if genuine.
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