$43 Million In Fake Audemars Piguet Watches Seized, Bringing Total To Over $1 Billion In June And July Alone

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Kentucky recently intercepted a shipment of counterfeit luxury watches that would have been worth more than $43 million had they been genuine.

CBP said officers at the Port of Louisville recently inspected a parcel shipped from Hong Kong and destined for a residence in Houston, Texas. They found 300 watches bearing Audemars Piguet trademarks. The trade experts at CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise determined the watches were inauthentic.

The shipment was seized on July 31 for bearing counterfeit trademarks. Had the watches been genuine, they would have had a combined Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of more than $43 million.

With the latest seizure, CBP said officers in Louisville have seized shipments containing a total of 875 counterfeit Audemars Piguet watches in June and July alone. In total, the MSRP for the items, had they been genuine, would have been more than $1.25 billion.

All of the shipments originated in Hong Kong, and were bound for addresses in Texas, Illinois and New York.

“It is important for consumers to become aware that criminals try to scam shoppers into buying low quality and potentially dangerous counterfeit items,” said Louisville’s Port Director, Philip Onken. “Our officers do an incredible job targeting shipments and identifying these violations, working tirelessly every day to protect the consumer and our economy.”