Fake Cartier, Rolex shipments intercepted in by US customs

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned in Louisville, Kentucky, have seized two shipments packed with counterfeit Cartier jewellery.

The packages – destined for a fictitious business in the US – contained 177 bracelets, 57 rings and 12 necklaces, all bearing Cartier trademarks, and if genuine would have been worth around $5.2m.

The shipper “used a common technique in hopes of sneaking their fake jewellery past [customs), said CBP - sending multiple packages expecting some of the merchandise would make it through.

Meanwhile, CBP officers at the Port of Cincinnati seized 85 watches deemed to be counterfeit and infringing on trademarks owned by Swiss luxury watchmaker Rolex. Had they been genuine, the retail value of the watches would have been over $5.8m.

The watches originated from a plastic goods company in Hong Kong, transited through a freight forwarder in Saudi Arabia, and were destined for an apartment in New York City, according to CBP.