U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) | U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Buffalo port of entry have seized a number of designer watches found to be counterfeit. The seizures began in July when CBP officers and Import Specialists at the Port of Buffalo inspected shipments containing several "designer" watches. After examining the merchandise, fourteen watches were determined to be counterfeit, bearing marks that were identical or nearly identical to those registered by Rolex. If authentic, these items would have had a Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price totaling about $257,000.
“CBP plays a critical role in protecting businesses and consumers from fraudulent items,” said Acting Buffalo Port Director Sharon Swiatek. “Our officers and import specialists do an outstanding job working diligently for the American consumer by preventing this illegitimate merchandise from entering our commerce. Their knowledge and skillset in identifying fraudulent products protects U.S. workers and our overall economy.”
CBP is authorized to detain, seize, forfeit, and destroy imported goods that infringe on trademarks or copyrights registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or Copyright Office, provided they are also recorded with CBP through its e-Recordation program (https://iprr.cbp.gov/s/). Other violations that may lead to seizure include misclassification of goods, false country-of-origin labeling, health and safety issues, or valuation discrepancies.
The agency notes that trade in counterfeit goods can undermine American innovation and business competitiveness as well as pose risks to national security and consumer safety. Importing counterfeit or pirated products is illegal; individuals who do so may face fines even if there was no intent to violate the law.
CBP encourages anyone with information about illegally imported counterfeit goods to use its E-Allegation reporting tool to submit tips anonymously regarding suspected trade law violations.
To help inform consumers about potential risks associated with buying counterfeit items, CBP has launched an educational initiative called The Truth Behind Counterfeits campaign.
CBP describes itself as America’s largest law enforcement organization responsible for border management across land, air, and sea domains.
