$3m of fake jewellery, scarves seized in Cincinnati

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati seized a shipment containing counterfeit designer jewellery and scarves, including fake Louis Vuitton bracelets (pictured).

The fakes, which were shipped from China, would have been worth around $3m had they been genuine, according to a CBP statement. The shipment was en route to a private residence in Flushing, New York.

Officers inspected the shipment and found 1,830 scarves, bracelets, rings, and earrings from designers like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Cartier, Hermes, Versace, and Chanel – and suspected the items were counterfeit based on the packaging and the poor quality of the material.

All the items were determined to be counterfeit by CBP's Centres for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs), the agency's trade experts.

"As the holiday is approaching, I urge consumers to purchase their gifts from legitimate retailers and websites," said Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie.

"Counterfeit goods impact our economic success in a negative way, and purchasing these items fund criminal networks," he added. "Our officers in Cincinnati work around the clock to intercept and stop illegal shipments like this one daily."

CBP has established an educational initiative, Truth Behind Counterfeits, to raise consumer awareness about the consequences and dangers that are often associated with the purchase of counterfeit and pirated goods.

The agency is asking anyone with information about counterfeit merchandise illegally imported into the US to notifying using its e-Allegation service.