(Gray News) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports officers in Indianapolis seized two shipments that contained hundreds of counterfeit Rolex watches at the end of April.
Officials said the shipments contained 460 watches that were arriving from Honk Kong en route to Brooklyn, New York. Officers reported the vendor had a history of fraudulent shipments and these shipments were deemed counterfeit by their trade intelligence.
The agency said if the counterfeit watches were genuine, they would’ve been valued at $10.1 million based on the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
“No one buys a luxury brand watch 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,” said Chicago Director of Field Operations LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke.
During the month of April, CBP officers in Indianapolis reported they had seized three shipments of counterfeit watches that, if real, would have been worth $20 million.
“This is just another example of the work our officers do to protect consumers and the U.S. economy,” said Jeremy Brodsky of the Port Director-Indianapolis. “Our officers are at the frontline protecting the U.S. economy and guarding against criminals making money by selling fake merchandise.”
Officials said the rapid growth of e-commerce enables consumers to search for and easily purchase millions of products through online vendors. The easy access gives counterfeit and pirated goods more ways to enter the U.S. economy.
Consumers who believe they have purchased counterfeited products can submit a report here.
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