Knockoff Jewelry and Watches Seized, Valued at $3 Million

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) reports nabbing more than $3M worth of fake jewelry and watches from three shipments from Hong Kong in late October. Valued based on presumed retail price if real, all in all there were 795 pieces.

Image courtesy CPB

Found at the port in Cincinnati, Ohio, the first shipment arrived from Hong Kong with a a mixture of jewelry and watches, including brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Van Cleef & Arpels, Dior, Rolex, Tiffany, and more. It was headed to an address in Kingsland, Texas with a retail value of about $724,000.

The second shipment was headed to a different address in Kingsland, Texas. Comprised of 206 faux watches branded at Cartier and Rolex, among others, it had a retail value (if real) of $2 million.

Lastly, a shipment of fake Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier jewelry was headed to an address in Doral, Florida. Its estimated value was over $429,000.

CBP warns:

“With the holidays approaching, counterfeiters will be targeting consumer’s pocketbooks as they shop for gifts during the holidays. What consumers likely don’t know is purchasing knockoffs provides funding to organized criminal organizations.”

The Director of Field Operations for the Chicago Field office, LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke added:

“No one buys a luxury brand watch or piece of jewelry expecting it to fail or fall apart. As consumers increasingly purchase from online or third-party vendors, our officers are at the frontline to guard against defrauders expecting to make money selling fake merchandise.”

According to CBP’s data, handbags and jewelry are among the goods at a higher risk of being counterfeited. CBP warns that these goods are regularly sold online and at flea markets. With the holidays coming up, it asks consumers to be extra careful and “if the price of a product seems too good to be true, it probably is.”