$25 Million of Fake Luxury Goods Nabbed by US CBP

Image courtesy: cbp.com

US Customs officers seized $25 million worth of counterfeit luxury goods in less than two weeks this December — timing that underscores criminals’ attempts to capitalize on holiday shopping. The haul included fake Rolex, Cartier, and Richard Mille watches destined for addresses across the country.

The largest haul came between December 5-8 in Louisville, KY, where CBP officers intercepted three shipments, valued over $18.6 million. Two parcels from Hong Kong contained hundreds of fake Cartier watches and designer hats headed to Staten Island, NY, and Irving, Texas. A third shipment from Taiwan held 160 counterfeit Rolex watches.

Image courtesy: cbp.com

In Cincinnati, Ohio, officers discovered 52 counterfeit watches on November 28 from a Colombia shipment — branded Richard Mille, Rolex, Hublot, Cartier, and Casio — with a legitimate retail value of $6.37 million.

Early December seizures in Rochester, NY netted fake designer watches, shoes, handbags, and jewelry worth over $425,000.

Image courtesy: cbp.com

Between December 5 and 8, CBP officers in Louisville, KY nabbed three shipments, two from Hong Kong and one from Taiwan, with a total value of more than $18.6 million. The first from Hong Kong was heading to an address in Staten Island, NY, and contained knockoff 400 Cartier watches, 26 Moncler hats, and 30 Chrome Hearts hats. In the second parcel, addressed to a location in Irving, Texas, officers found eight Cartier and 13 Audemars Piguet watches. The shipment from Taiwan was headed to House and included 80 Rolex Cosmograph watches and 80 Rolex Datejust Date watches, all counterfeit.

CBP’s Director of Field Operations LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Chicago Field Office, reminds consumers:

“During the holiday shopping season, it is important to remain aware that criminals try to scam shoppers into buying low quality and potentially dangerous counterfeit items.”

As always, it’s buyer beware. And if it looks and sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Read more here, here, and here.