ROCHESTER, N.Y. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers recently seized counterfeit luxury watches worth more than $2 million at the Rochester Airport Port of Entry.
A total of 25 fake Cartier watches were discovered in a Feb. 10 shipment manifested as “lithium metal batteries/watches,” the agency stated in a news release.
The watches, with an estimated value of $2.3 million, were seized for violating the intellectual property rights of the Cartier trademark, the agency stated.
According to the news release, intellectual property rights violations pertain to products that infringe upon U.S. trademarks, copyrights and patents. Other violations can include misclassification of merchandise, false country-of-origin markings, health and safety issues and valuation issues.
“Prior to and throughout the pandemic, our CBP officers continue to protect our economy and consumers from counterfeit goods,” Rochester Port Director Ronald Menz stated, adding, “CBP maintains a pivotal role in protecting both the consumer and businesses from imported fraudulent items.”