'Luxury' Watches Worth $577,800 Seized by US Customs

U.S. Customers and Border Protection officers in Cincinnati intercepted and seized a shipment containing multiple counterfeit luxury goods on May 3, 2023. The shipment originated from Hong Kong and contained multiple replica luxury watches – purportedly from Rolex among other brands.

Officers intercepted the shipment prior to it making its way to its final destination to a private address in Miami, Florida. Upon inspection, officers discovered four luxury branded watches, including their boxes. The four watches in question were purportedly from Jacob & Co, Audemars Piguet, and Rolex and were copies of the Astronomia Oak, Royal Oak, and Oyster Perpetual models. All watches were bearing the luxury brands’ trademarks. The watches were quickly deemed as counterfeit due to their inferior quality and based on their country of origin. Had these watches been legitimate, the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price would have been a staggering $577,800.

Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie reminds us of the importance of intercepting counterfeit goods and their impact on consumers and businesses alike:

“Counterfeit goods negatively impact consumers and businesses. Officers are trained to identify illicit shipments and work diligently for American consumers by stopping the flow of unlawful trade.”

Once again, the CBP strongly reminds us of the importance of purchasing from authorized retailers and traders and provides some top tips to avoid counterfeit goods:

Purchase goods directly from the trademark holder or from authorized retailers.

Know what price the product should be selling for. If the item is priced well below a reasonable value, it could be counterfeit. If a price seems too good to be true, this it is.

Look for legitimate websites that offer customer service contact information and return policies.

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