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Counterfeit Designer Jewelry & Phone Cases Worth Over $1.7 Million Seized by CBP in Louisville July 15, 2023 (0 comments)
Louisville, KY--U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Louisville intercepted two shipments from Hong Kong containing counterfeit designer items, including rings, watch bands, and phone cases. The illicit merchandise found during inspections were valued at more than $1.7 million. CBP officials added that if the goods were genuine, they would be valued at nearly $3 billion
[Image via CBP]
According to a report published by CBP, officers inspected the first shipment and discovered 2,500 counterfeit rings bearing the logos of luxury brands Versace, Gucci, Bvlgari, and Rolex. The items, originally declared as stainless steel rings, were destined for Suwanee, Georgia. In the second shipment heading to Orlando, Florida, officers found 319 phone cases and 210 watch bands with Louis Vuitton logos and 60 with the Gucci logo.
“Counterfeit goods are poor quality products that cost U.S. businesses billions of dollars a year while robbing our country of jobs and tax revenues,” explained LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations, Chicago Field Office, in the report. “CBP officers throughout the nation remain committed to stopping counterfeit smuggling, taking profits from organized crime, and helping protect our communities from potentially hazardous knockoffs.”
The report noted that in fiscal year 2022, CBP seized $8 million worth of products daily due to Intellectual Property Rights violations. Nationwide, CBP intercepted more than 24.5 million shipments that would have amounted to nearly $3 billion if the goods had been genuine.
The CBP's Truth Behind Counterfeits public awareness campaign aims to educate consumers about the dangers and consequences often linked to counterfeit and pirated goods.
CBP encourages anyone with information regarding illegally importing counterfeit merchandise into the United States to submit an e-Allegation. The e-Allegation system allows the public to anonymously report suspected trade law or regulation violations related to imported goods in the U.S.
Learn more in the entire CBP report.