LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On March 6, a shipment was seized in Louisville after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered several fake designer watches in the package that would've been worth millions of dollars if sold as genuine.
35 counterfeit watches bearing the protected trademark of Richard Mille were deemed inauthentic by CBP's Centers of Excellence and Expertise, the agency's trade experts, and if genuine, would have had a combined Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $11.72 million.
CBP officials say the watches arrived to Louisville from Hong Kong and were destined for a residence in Puerto Rico. The counterfeit watches were seized for infringing on the protected trademarks recorded with CBP.
“Every day CBP officers are seizing these fraudulent de minimis shipments sent by bad actors,” LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, director of field operations, Chicago Field Office, said. “Criminals are trying to exploit the mail environment by peddling their counterfeit products. Even though this package had a low declared value, they pose the same potential health, safety, and economic security risks as larger and more traditional containerized shipments. I am very proud of our officers recognizing these counterfeits and addressing the challenges faced in the de minimis environment.”
In the United States, as long as a package is worth $800 or less it can be considered "de minimis," meaning the value of the contents can be shipped before duties and taxes are assessed. CBP estimates nearly 90% of shipments coming into the United States are now entering through the small package environment.
In 2015, CBP processed 134 million de minimis transactions. By 2023, this has increased to 1 billion, representing a 646% growth in eight years.
CBP encourages anyone with information about counterfeit merchandise illegally imported into the United States to submit an e-Allegation. The e-Allegation system provides a means for the public to anonymously report to CBP any suspected violations of trade laws or regulations related to the importation of goods in the U.S.
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