Record seizure of counterfeit watches valued at almost $100 million

The load of phony watches that sharp-eyed U.S. border agents discovered in a truck at a border crossing near Laredo, TX was worth $83 million, making it the largest such seizure in the crossing’s history, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In October, the Import Specialist Enforcement Team (ISET) at U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Laredo port of entry seized the commercial shipment of 7,800 counterfeit Audemars Piguet trademarked watches. The seizure was recently finalized, according to the agency in a Dec. 12 statement. The significant seizure was the second involving the same trademark in less than six months, it said that the knock-off timepieces were detected after a CBP import specialist at World Trade Bridge selected a shipment of watches arriving via express consignment truck for a secondary examination. In the course of that secondary examination, CBP officers and import specialists discovered possible infringement of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Octagonal Bezel Design trademark, which is a trademark recorded with CBP. After a legal review from CBP Headquarters Intellectual Property Rights Branch and confirmation from Audemars Piguet that the use of their trademark was unauthorized, CBP determined on Oct. 25 that the watches infringed on the Audemars Piguet design trademark and seized them. The total manufacturer’s suggested retail price, had the Audemars Piguet design trademark been genuine, was $83 million, said CBP. “This seizure of $83 million in counterfeit watches is now the largest in port history and is the second multimillion dollar seizure involving the same Audemars Piguet design trademark in less than six months,” said Sidney Aki, CBP port director, Laredo Port of Entry. “As we approach the Christmas holidays, seizures like these help reassure both the trade community and the public that CBP remains committed to ensuring that recorded trademarks are protected and the American consumer is protected from counterfeit merchandise.”

http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/28032?c=border_security