CBP knows: all that glitters isn't gold
On 16 November 2023, officers seized a shipment containing a single Richard Mille watch. It originated out of India and was headed to a residence in Palm Beach, Florida. The Richard Mille brand is manufactured in a limited quantity of each style, making each watch model unique. This watch seized was a RM 88 automatic winding tourbillon smiley. This limited edition was produced only 50 times, making it extremely valuable.
The following day, on 17 November, officers seized a second shipment consisting of various counterfeit jewellery and watches with a total manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of USD 846,695.
The consignment originated in Hong Kong and was bound for Mesquite, Texas. It consisted of brands including Rolex, Van Cleef, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton to name but a few.
CBP officers are trained to identify counterfeit merchandise and use their experience to stop the flow of such illicit merchandise in and out of the USA. (cj)