LOUISVILLE, Ky—Two shipments arriving in Louisville last night were inspected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to determine the admissibility of its contents in accordance with CBP regulations. What officers found inside were counterfeit items that were worth more than $2.3 million.
The first shipment was arriving from Dubai and was manifested as men’s clock. When officers inspected the parcel they found 2 Audemars Piguet watches, 1 Hublot watch, 1 Richard Mille watch and 4 Cartier bracelets. The items were inspected by an import specialist who determined the items were counterfeit. The total MSRP for this shipment was $1,330,800.
The second shipment arrived from Hong Kong and was manifested as pedometer material. When the officers inspected the package they found 65 Oakley sunglasses and 180 Louis Vuitton watches. The items were inspected by an import specialist who determined the items were counterfeit. If these items were real the total MSRP for these items would have been $1,029,740.
These shipments were destined to residents in Arlington, Texas and Miami, Florida respectively. The total seizure was worth $2,360,540.
“Customs and Border Protection officers encounter a wide variety of counterfeit consumer goods, like these trademark-infringing items, and we continue to work with our trade and consumer safety partners to identify and seize counterfeit products when we encounter them,” said Thomas Mahn, Port Director-Louisville. “CBP urges consumers to protect themselves and their families by purchasing authentic consumer goods from reputable vendors.”
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.