LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In just one day, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Louisville confiscated three shipments containing 2,387 pieces of fake jewelry, including rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings with designer trademarks.
CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise, the agency’s trade experts, determined the items were counterfeit. If genuine, these items would have had a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of over $10.08 million.
On July 1, CBP seized the first shipment from China. This shipment contained 1,466 pieces of jewelry with trademarks of famous luxury brands and was destined for Brooklyn, New York. If real, the MSRP for these items would have been over $5.13 million.
On July 2, CBP seized two more shipments from China, containing 921 pieces of fake jewelry. These shipments were headed to separate addresses in Miami, Florida. If authentic, the MSRP for these items would have been over $4.95 million.
“These large seizures show the work our officers do every day to protect our country, its citizens, and the economy,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director of Field Operations, Chicago Field Office. “Every day CBP officers seize these fraudulent shipments. Criminals try to exploit the mail system with their counterfeit products. Even low-value declared packages pose the same health, safety, and economic risks as larger shipments.”
The trafficking of counterfeit goods provides criminals with income and a way to launder money. Profits from fake goods can fund further production or other illegal activities. Counterfeiting is highly profitable, relying on high demand for cheap goods and low production costs.
CBP urges anyone with information about counterfeit merchandise being illegally imported into the United States to use the e-Allegation system. This system allows the public to anonymously report suspected trade law violations related to the importation of goods into the U.S.