Customs agents seize counterfeit watches in Louisville with street value above $11 million

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Customs agents found fake designer watches being shipped through Louisville before they could hit the market.

Customs and Border Protection officers said they seized a de minimis shipment of 35 counterfeit Richard Mille watches at Worldport. De minimis shipments are duty-free and tax-free up to a certain value.

CBP said criminals are taking advantage of the rise in e-commerce shipments and the de minimis rule to ship illegal goods into the U-S.

If the watches were real, they'd be worth more than $11 million, CBP said.

"Every day CBP officers are seizing these fraudulent de minimis shipments sent by bad actors," LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, director of field operations for the Chicago Field Office, said in a news release Monday. "Criminals are trying to exploit the mail environment by peddling their counterfeit products. Even though this package had a low declared value, they pose the same potential health, safety, and economic security risks as larger and more traditional containerized shipments. I am very proud of our officers recognizing these counterfeits and addressing the challenges faced in the de minimis environment."

The shipment came from Hong Kong and was headed to a home in Puerto Rico.

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