LOUISVILLE, Ky—U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Louisville intercepted three shipments on July 30 and 31 that contained counterfeit jewelry and watches worth over $5.59 million.
On July 30, the first two packages were seized. One shipment contained 580 counterfeit pieces of David Yurman Jewelry. If these were real, this jewelry would have had a Manufactured Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $365,400. The second shipment contained 2,411 various counterfeit designer watches. If these were real, the MSRP for these watches would have been over $4.46 million. The final shipment arrived on July 31. When officers inspected the parcel, they discovered 10 counterfeit Rolex watches. Had these items been genuine, they would have had a MSRP of $756,500
All these shipments originated from Hong Kong and were destined for Ontario, California, Jonesboro, Georgia, and Worcester, Massachusetts respectively. All items were evaluated and determined to be counterfeit by an Import Specialist from CBP’s Center of Excellence and Expertise.
“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. “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.”
Intellectual property rights (IPR) violations are associated with smuggling and other criminal activities, and often funds criminal enterprises. CBP Trade protects the intellectual property rights of American businesses, safeguarding them from unfair competition and use for malicious intent while upholding American innovation and ingenuity. Suspected violations can be reported to CBP here.
Consumers can take simple steps to protect themselves and their families from counterfeit goods:
* Purchase goods directly from the trademark holder or from authorized retailers.
* When shopping online, read seller reviews and check for a working U.S. phone number and address that can be used to contact the seller.
* Review CBP’s E-Commerce Counterfeit Awareness Guide for Consumers.
* Remember that if the price of a product seems too good to be true, it probably is.
If you have information concerning counterfeit merchandise illegally imported into the United States, CBP encourages you to submit an anonymous report through the e-Allegations Online Trade Violations Reporting System.
Additionally, 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.