Border Patrol seizes fake Rolex watches and sunglasses in Pittsburgh
June 26 (UPI) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have seized a cache of counterfeit Rolex watches and designer sunglasses with a street value of more than $573,000, the agency announced Thursday.
The items were headed to Pittsburgh and were intercepted by local CBP agents there.
"The international trade in counterfeit consumer goods is illegal," a release from the CBP said. "It steals trademark holders and tax revenues from the government, it funds international criminal organizations, and the unregulated products can threaten the health and safety of American consumers."
The label on the shipment, from the United Arab Emirates, was marked "Empty Poly Bag Ladies Hand Bags," but instead contained a half dozen counterfeit Rolex Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona watches, a pair of counterfeit Rolex Diamond iced-Out watches and counterfeit Burberry, Chanel, Gucci, Miu and Valentino sunglasses.
Agents suspected that the watches and sunglasses were counterfeit and detained them for further inspection when they arrived in Pittsburgh.
CBP sent photos and documentation to the Center of Excellence and Expertise and worked with trademark holders, which determined that the items were counterfeit and subject to immediate seizure by Border Patrol agents.
"Unsuspecting consumers could be victimized twice by counterfeit products," a statement from James Hindes, CBP's acting port director in Pittsburgh, said, "such as these fake Rolex watches, because they may end up paying close to authentic prices for cheaper knockoffs, and they'll learn that the product isn't warrantied should it need repair."
The seizure of the counterfeit Rolex watches and sunglasses in Pittsburgh comes just days after CBP intercepted 5 shipments of fake jewelry over 2 nights in Louisville, Ky. that would have been worth more than $25 million had it been authentic.
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