U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 300 counterfeit Audemars Piguet watches from a shipment passing through Indianapolis, the agency announced Friday.
Officers intercepted the parcel Oct. 14 at the city’s express consignment facility. It had arrived from Hong Kong and was headed to Illinois.
CBP put the shipment’s combined manufacturer’s suggested retail price at $12 million, had the watches been genuine. That figure represents the retail price of authentic products, rather than an appraisal of the seized counterfeits.
Officers found watches bearing suspected counterfeit Audemars Piguet trademarks during an inspection. Specialists at CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise determined that the items were inauthentic, and the agency seized them for bearing counterfeit versions of registered and recorded trademarks.
“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,” Michael Pfeiffer, acting director of field operations for CBP’s Chicago Field Office, said in a statement.
The release did not identify the sender or recipient beyond the shipment’s origin and destination or announce any arrests or charges.
The Indianapolis seizure follows other recent interceptions of counterfeit watches. On Sept. 18, CBP officers at Chicago O’Hare International Airport seized two shipments containing 200 fake Cartier watches. The agency put their combined retail price, had they been genuine, at $28 million.
Officers at Indianapolis’ express consignment facility also intercepted 96 counterfeit watches bearing Swatch, Audemars Piguet and Rolex trademarks on July 30. That shipment, from Hong Kong to a residence in Ohio, would have carried a combined retail price exceeding $4.5 million if authentic, according to CBP.
CBP’s recent textile-related seizures have also involved agricultural restrictions. In August, specialists at Washington Dulles International Airport seized about 440 pounds of unprocessed cotton from a family arriving from Afghanistan. The travelers intended to use it for bedding, but the cotton still contained seeds and lacked the required entry documentation and treatment. CBP said raw cotton can carry pests threatening U.S. agriculture and textile production.
CBP lists watches and jewelry among product categories at higher risk of counterfeiting, alongside handbags, wallets, apparel, footwear and consumer electronics. It advises shoppers to buy directly from trademark holders or authorized retailers and check sellers’ contact information when purchasing online.
The agency accepts reports of suspected counterfeits through its e-Allegations portal.