U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati have intercepted a shipment containing 52 counterfeit designer watches from Colombia, officials announced. The seizure took place on November 28 as the parcel was en route to a residence in Washington. According to CBP, if the items had been authentic, their combined Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price would have exceeded $6.3 million.
Upon inspection, officers found watches bearing counterfeit trademarks of brands such as Richard Mille, Rolex, Hublot, Cartier, and Casio. CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise confirmed the items were not genuine.
“We continue to enjoy unprecedented growth in e-commerce, and this growth serves as an ever-larger driving force behind the U.S. and world economies. It’s extremely important, as our trade avenues expand, our focus on enforcing intellectual property rights violations expands with it,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director of Field Operations for the Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to execute these types of enforcement operations to further protect legitimate businesses and consumers from intellectual property thieves.”
CBP highlighted that selling counterfeit goods is one of the most profitable transnational crimes and often harms legitimate U.S. businesses by flooding markets with fake products sold through online channels. These goods can include items like fake medications, cosmetics, toys, fashion accessories, jewelry, electronics, and automotive parts—many of which may pose health or safety risks due to substandard materials.
In fiscal year 2025 alone, CBP seized nearly 79 million counterfeit items nationwide with an estimated value of over $7.3 billion if they had been genuine.
CBP maintains a robust Intellectual Property Rights enforcement program aimed at protecting American businesses from unfair competition and malicious use while supporting innovation.
For more information about CBP’s efforts against counterfeit goods or to report suspected violations or illegal trade activity:
- Visit https://www.cbp.gov/trade/fakegoodsrealdangers for details on daily enforcement activities and public awareness campaigns.
- Report suspected fraud via the e-Allegations Online Trade Violations Reporting System or call 1-800-BE-ALERT.
- Intellectual Property Rights violations can also be reported at https://www.iprcenter.gov/referral/ or by calling 1-866-IPR-2060.
CBP describes itself as America’s largest law enforcement organization focused on ensuring safe travel and trade while safeguarding national security through innovation and collaboration.
