CBP intercepts fake Richard Mille watches worth $8.8m

When it comes to luxury watches, few command a higher price tag than Richard Mille’s high-end timepieces, and counterfeiters have tried to tap into that prestige.

A seizure of just 11 counterfeit Richard Mille watches by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati has been valued at $8.8m at the manufacturer’s usual selling prices if they had been genuine. That’s equivalent to $800,000 apiece.

The Swiss company’s creations start at around the $100,000 mark and can go up to millions of dollars for rare and exotic pieces like its sapphire-encased Tourbillon RM 56-02.

The knock-off watches – sent in three separate shipments – originated from Hong Kong  and were intercepted en route to a purchaser in New Orleans, according to CBP.