CBP seizes 300 counterfeit Audemars Piguet watches at Indianapolis express consignment facility

INDIANAPOLIS— On Oct. 14, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Indianapolis’ express consignment facility intercepted a shipment containing 300 counterfeit Audemars Piguet watches. Had these items been genuine, the shipment would have had a combined manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $12 million.

The shipment from Hong Kong was headed for Illinois when officers pulled the parcel for inspection. The examination revealed 300 watches bearing the suspected Audemars Piguet trademark. The items were deemed to be inauthentic by CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise, the agency’s trade experts, and were seized for bearing counterfeit versions of registered and recorded trademarks.

“Proceeds from the sale of counterfeit goods have been found to fund criminal organizations who are often also involved in money laundering, drug trafficking, and other illicit trade,” said Acting Director of Field Operations for the Chicago Field Office, Michael Pfeiffer. “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.”

Illegitimate sales are some of the most profitable transnational crimes. Counterfeiters sell inauthentic versions of popular products in response to trends, often through online sources, which adversely impacts legitimate U.S. businesses. These items include fake medications, perfumes, cosmetics, children’s toys and costumes, fashion, jewelry, and luxury products, and unsafe electronics and automotive parts, which can pose serious health and safety risks as they are often made with substandard or harmful materials.

CBP data indicates that handbags, wallets, apparel, footwear, watches, jewelry, and consumer electronics are at a higher risk of being counterfeited. Counterfeit versions of popular brands are regularly sold in online marketplaces and flea markets. Not only are counterfeit goods produced in unregulated and potentially exploitative environments in foreign countries, but the profits from their sales provide a funding stream for organized crime.

Counterfeit goods can often be spotted by their inferior quality. Peeling labels, low-quality ink or printing errors on the packaging, and the quality of the packaging can be signs that the product you purchased may not be legitimate. Counterfeit apparel and handbags may feature poor or uneven stitching, be improperly sized, or not exist as a product the designer brand produces at all. The performance of counterfeit electronics is often marked by short battery life and regular overheating.

Furthermore, CBP protects the intellectual property rights of American businesses through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights enforcement program, safeguarding them from unfair competition and use for malicious intent while upholding American innovation and ingenuity. The Truth Behind Counterfeits public awareness campaign provides information about what CBP is doing every day to protect Americans from potentially harmful counterfeit goods.

Consumers can also take simple steps to protect themselves and their families from counterfeit goods:

• Purchase goods directly from the trademark holder or from authorized retailers.
• When shopping online, read seller reviews and check for a working U.S. phone number and an address that can be used to contact the seller.
• Review CBP’s E-Commerce Counterfeit Awareness Guide for Consumers.
• Remember that if the price of a product seems too good to be true, it probably is.

To report suspected counterfeits, visit CBP’s online e-Allegations portal or call 1-800-BE-ALERT.

Follow CBP on X @CBPChicago and @DFOChicago.