U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted a shipment of 460 counterfeit ultra-luxury watches on October 23 at the Port of Louisville in Kentucky, officials said. The fake timepieces bearing the Audemars Piguet trademark were en route to a residence in Texas and had been shipped from Hong Kong. If authentic, the combined retail value would exceed $66 million.
Trade experts at the Centers of Excellence and Expertise confirmed the watches as counterfeit. Louisville Port Director Philip Onken highlighted a sharp rise in CBP seizures: $14 million in counterfeit jewelry seized in May; $54 million in counterfeit watches in June; $28 million in counterfeit watches in July; and $43 million worth of counterfeit items in August.
“Our officers are working hard to identify threats and shut down illicit suppliers,” Onken said. CBP warns that counterfeiting is among the most profitable transnational crimes, with fake products—including medications, perfumes, cosmetics, children’s toys, fashion items, jewelry, luxury goods, and unsafe electronics—posing significant health risks due to substandard materials. The agency urges consumers to follow its e-commerce counterfeit awareness guide to avoid financial losses.
