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  4. 10,500 Counterfeit Casio Watches Seized by CBP Officers in Louisville

10,500 Counterfeit Casio Watches Seized by CBP Officers in Louisville

Release Date
Wed, 09/30/2020

LOUISVILLE, Ky—During an inspection of an arriving shipment, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Louisville uncovered 10,500 counterfeit Casio watches worth more than $680,000.Casio

On September 29 a CBP officer in Louisville held a shipment, manifested as Abs watch, watch material, metal for timing. The parcel was inspected to determine the admissibility of its contents in accordance with CBP regulations. When the shipment was opened Casio watches were found inside. The items were inspected by an import specialist who determined the items were counterfeit. In all, 10,500 watches were seized. If these items were real, the total MSRP for these would have been $682,500. The packages were coming from Hong Kong and were going to one recipient in Laredo, Texas.

“CBP works around the clock to facilitate trade while keeping our country safe. Ensuring the safety of the public against dangerous merchandise is a top priority for CBP,” said Thomas Mahn, Port Director, Louisville. “Once again our CBP officers at the Port of Louisville have demonstrated their exceptional skill and superior commodity expertise.”

Intellectual property rights (IPR) protection is a priority trade issue for CBP. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, CBP and their partner agency Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) seized 27,599 shipments containing IPR violations with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of over $1.5 billion had the goods been genuine. Watches and jewelry represent 15 percent of all IPR seizures, and continue to top the list of all seized IPR materials.

CBP has established an educational initiative to raise consumer awareness about the consequences and dangers that are often associated with the purchase of counterfeit and pirated goods. Information about the Truth Behind Counterfeits public awareness campaign can be found at https://www.cbp.gov/FakeGoodsRealDangers.

CBP's border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations.  Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders. Learn more about CBP at www.CBP.gov.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021