$573K In Fake Rolexes, Designer Shades Seized Before Hitting Pennsylvania Streets: Feds
Not so quick.
CBP officers in Pittsburgh confiscate $573k worth of luxury brand sunglasses and fake Rolex watches.
CBP officers in Pittsburgh confiscate $573k worth of luxury brand sunglasses and fake Rolex watches.
CBP officers in Pittsburgh confiscate $573k worth of luxury brand sunglasses and fake Rolex watches.
Fake designer sunglasses and Rolex watches worth hundreds of thousands of dollars failed to pass Pittsburgh customs.
Federal officials said Thursday, June 26 that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Pittsburgh had stopped a shipment of counterfeit luxury sunglasses and Rolex watches worth more than half a million dollars before they could reach the streets.
The cargo was reported on April 27 when it arrived from the United Arab Emirates with the incorrect label, “Empty Poly Bag Ladies Hand Bag.”
Officers opened it and discovered 12 fake pairs of Burberry, Chanel, Gucci, Miu Miu, and Valentino sunglasses, all destined for a Pittsburgh location, along with 13 fake Rolex watches.
Investigators estimate that if the products were authentic, they would have sold for an incredible $573,200 at retail.
Officers submitted documents and photos for assessment, and CBP’s Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Center of Excellence and Expertise confirmed the products were, in fact, counterfeit.
On June 6, the items were formally seized.
In addition to costing luxury businesses money, officials pointed out that the counterfeit trade can finance international crime and endanger the health and safety of American consumers.
They pointed out that some fakes are manufactured in sweatshops with forced labor or with inferior parts.
Over 32,000 counterfeit seizures totaling an estimated $5.4 billion were reported by CBP in 2024 alone.
