CBP makes another designer jewelry seizure

Half a million dollars-worth of fake Chanel, Hermes and Michael Kors jewelry has been seized by US customs officers in Louisville, Kentucky.

The haul of more than 1,100 jewelry items - with an estimated manufacturer's suggested retail price of $562,729 - was uncovered at the Area Port of Cleveland by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and an import specialist assigned to express-consignment operations.

The counterfeits featured necklaces Chanel's double C logo as well as bracelets purporting to be made by Hermes and Michael Kors that were clearly faked, according to the CBP.

"CBP is committed to enforcing trade laws at our ports of entry, protect our nation's revenue and identifying individuals who brazenly attempt to import counterfeit merchandise into the US," said Area Port Director Marc Hurteau said in a statement.

CBP officers in Louisville process over 40,000 parcels per night and make a variety of seizures including counterfeit checks, drugs, monetary instruments, fraudulent documents, and intellectual property rights violations.

Earlier this month pirated Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry worth around $6m was seized by CBP officers in Florida.