CHICAGO – Officers at O’Hare’s International Mail Branch made a jaw-dropping discovery this week: a shipment containing counterfeit designer merchandise with a retail price of over a whopping $1 million. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported the seizure of 67 items, ranging from watches to handbags, all shipped from Thailand en route to an Oklahoma home.
The haul consisted of 53 imitation watches flaunting Rolex, Gucci, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton logos; nine Rolex-branded bracelets; three Louis Vuitton bags; and two Gucci scarves. CBP trade experts valued the authentic versions of these items at around $1.08 million.
The shoddy packaging raised suspicions. Once examined, all items were flagged for violating the designers’ protected trademarks. Last year, CBP officers nabbed a staggering 24.5 million shipments for intellectual property rights breaches.
