US Customs and Border Protection officers in Cincinnati have kept fake watches and jewelry with an equivalent retail value of almost $7 million off the streets after a major airport seizure.
Officers reported three separate busts, confirmed as fakes by CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise.
One shipment held 275 assorted Cartier Love bracelets that would have been worth $3.27 million if genuine.
Later that night, CBP officers seized a second shipment of 500 counterfeit Cartier bracelets that would have had a total MSRP of $3.2 million, had they been real.
A smaller haul last Saturday stopped 13 fake Rolex watches- 10 Cosmograph Daytonas and three Yacht Master IIs from entering. Had these been genuine, the value would have been over $405,000 at retail.
With the price of Rolex watches, particularly the Daytona, at sky high levels on the secondary market, the bust kept watches with a market value of well over $1 million out of the country.
“These large seizures illustrate the work our officers do every day to protect our country, its citizens, and the economy,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations-Chicago Field Office.
“Our officers are dedicated to preventing counterfeiters from defrauding consumers and legitimate businesses.”
I’m done with Rolex and its arrogance. If some daft banker, gangster or chinese crook wants to buy a fake Rolex – let them or if they want6 to fork out thousands on a real one … go ahead.The fakes are not that much worse than the real thing – except unlike the ‘real’ thing they are not overpriced. Rolex is fast becoming the biggest con in the luxury market – move on folks.