Border agents seize dozens of counterfeit watches and sunglasses

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized hundreds of knockoff watches, glasses, and headwear in Ohio last week.

The 111 items confiscated from parcels at the Port of Cincinnati included gold and silver watches and headgear featuring unique Coach and Gucci patterns.

CBP told The Post that the false collection also included 44 Rolex watches, four Richard Mille watches, ten Cartier timepieces, 20 hats from Prada, ALO, Gucci, and Coach, and 62 pairs of designer-branded sunglasses and glasses.

The New York fashion sector loses billions of dollars each year due to consumer spending on counterfeits, yet the global knockoff designer merchandise market is a multi-trillion dollar industry.

If the products had been real, the shipment’s total estimated worth would have exceeded $19.2 million.

Officers intercepted the cargo from Colombia while it was on its way to a Puerto Rican residence.

“The trade of counterfeit goods and the widespread violation of private intellectual property rights endangers the American economy and national security,” said Cincinnati Port Director Eric Zizelman.

The majority of counterfeit items are sold online, with more than 90% of all seizures occurring in international mail environments. Encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram have expanded sales by enabling the direct delivery of fugazi products to people’s homes.

Buying counterfeit goods can result in civil and criminal sanctions, while trafficking them can result in fines of up to $2 million, ten years in prison, or both.

The sale of counterfeit goods also has a negative impact on local economies. The subterranean counterfeit business takes around $1 billion in tax income from New York State and city services.

Homeland Security Investigations received the items seized in Cincinnati for further investigation.

Cincinnati, located on the Ohio River, is the second-largest inland port in the United States, handling over 48 million tons of cargo each year.

CBP is the major agency in charge of intercepting counterfeit goods, which include pharmaceuticals, perfumes, cosmetics, electronics, and auto parts, at all border entry points.

During fiscal year 2025, the CBP captured well over 78 million counterfeit goods worth an estimated $7.3 billion if they were real.