Holiday Season: US Customs Seize $7m of Counterfeit Jewelry
December 31, 23
(IDEX Online) - Eleven shipments of counterfeit jewelry from India, Hong Kong, and Indonesia were intercepted by US Customs and Border Protection VCBP) ahead of the holiday season.
The total value of the goods, if they had been genuine, would have been $6.96m.
The first shipment, seized on 1 December, contained 783 bracelets, earrings, and necklaces displaying the logos of Fendi, Versace, Cartier, Christian Dior, and Tiffany & Co.
CBP officers based in in Cincinnati, Ohio, were alerted by the cheap generic packaging and lack of intricate detail.
They intercepted 10 more shipments over the next six days. One contained 650 counterfeit Van Cleef earrings, bracelets, and necklaces worth over $1.7m if genuine. Another box contained 102 Rolex watches with matching boxes, plus 20 Gucci belts, valued at over $3m if genuine.
"CBP protects legitimate trade practices and recommends shoppers purchase their holiday gifts from reputable websites and businesses," said Cincinnati Port Director Alrick Brooks.
"With the influx in e-commerce, purchasing gifts online can be misleading through third-party sites. We encourage you to be aware and report any suspicious illegal trade activity."
Pic courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows some of the items seized.