June 23 (UPI) — Officers seized more than $25 million worth of counterfeit jewelry in Kentucky last week, before the thousands of pieces could be sold to unsuspecting buyers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Monday.
The first shipment of 318 bracelets with unauthorized Cartier trademarks arrived Thursday from China and was heading to a home in Pennsylvania. A second shipment of unauthorized Van Cleef and Arpels jewelry — necklaces, earrings and rings — arrived the same day from Hong Kong en route to a residence in Florida.
On Friday, officers seized three shipments of 800 fake Cartier bracelets from China. Two of the shipments were heading to North Carolina and another to Michigan.
Had the 2,193 pieces of jewelry been sold as genuine, they could have sold for more than $25 million, according to CBP officers.
“Intellectual property theft threatens America’s economic vitality and funds criminal activities and organized crime,” said LaFonda Sutton-Burke, director of field operations at CBP’s Chicago Field Office.
China and Hong Kong are the top two source countries for Intellectual Property Rights seizures. The two countries accounted for 90% of all IPR seizures of counterfeit jewelry, watches and handbags last year, according to CBP.
The proceeds from the sale of unlicensed products, which often use harmful or banned materials and support illegal labor practices, are commonly funneled back to support organized crime, according to Sutton-Burke, who said counterfeit sales also hurt business.
“When consumers purchase counterfeit goods, legitimate companies lose revenue, which can force those companies to cut jobs. Our officers are dedicated to protecting private industry and consumers by removing these kinds of shipments from our commerce.”
