LOUISVILLE, Ky. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently seized counterfeit jewelry at the Louisville Port of Entry that would have been worth more than $2.5 million had the merchandise been genuine.
According to a news release, the shipment, manifested as more than 2,000 pieces of jewelry, arrived from Hong Kong on Oct. 26, bound for a corporation in New York.
Investigators determined, however, that the 403 Chanel necklaces, 128 Van Cleef &Arpels necklaces, 52 Cartier Love bracelets, 379 Van Cleef & Arpels bracelets, 154 pairs of Van Cleef & Arpels earrings, 560 pairs of Cartier earrings and 398 pairs of Chanel earrings were all counterfeit.
“CBP is responsible for enforcing nearly 500 U.S. trade laws and regulations on behalf of 49 other federal agencies,” LaFonda Sutton-Burke, director of field operations for the agency’s Chicago field office stated, adding, “CBP officers play a critical role in the nation’s efforts to protect the American consumer, the U.S economy, and U.S. jobs.”
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the 2,074 seized pieces would have been about $2.51 million had the items been authentic.
“Intellectual property theft threatens America’s economic vitality and funds criminal activities and organized crime,” Thomas Mahn, director of the Louisville port, said in a prepared statement.
“Our officers are dedicated to protecting private industry and consumers by removing these kinds of shipments from our commerce,” he added.