LOUISVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Louisville intercepted a shipment of 160 counterfeit Rolex watches from Taiwan on November 17, preventing $2.57 million worth of fake luxury goods from reaching consumers.
According to the agency, the shipment was heading to a home in Houston when CBP officers flagged the parcel for inspection. Inside, authorities reportedly found 160 fake Rolex Just Date watches bearing protected Rolex trademarks.
CBP's Centers of Excellence and Expertise, the agency's trade specialists, confirmed the watches were counterfeit and seized the entire shipment, the agency noted.
"Our CBP officers diligently work to protect honest and hardworking legitimate businesses by targeting and intercepting these fraudulent items," said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director of Field Operations for the Chicago Field Office. "We continue to protect our community and the consumer from these unregulated counterfeit items that could potentially cause harm to our economy."
According to the agency, counterfeit sales rank among the most profitable transnational crimes. Criminals produce fake versions of popular products to capitalize on trends, often selling through online platforms that hurt legitimate U.S. businesses.
These counterfeit items pose serious health and safety risks to American consumers because they're frequently made with substandard or harmful materials, the agency reported.
In fiscal year 2025, authorities added that the agency seized nearly 79 million counterfeit items with a combined manufacturer's suggested retail price of over $7.3 billion. Counterfeit clothing, consumer electronics, toys and medications topped the list of seized items.
