Feds seize $1.3 million in counterfeit earrings at UPS Worldport in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized a shipment of counterfeit designer jewelry at UPS Worldport on Jan. 2, 2023. The shipment contained 4,920 pairs of earrings with Chanel logos, which would retail for about $1.37 million, if they were real.

"This just goes to show you how criminals are using express consignment facilities to ship their items to unsuspecting consumers, damaging our economy,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations-Chicago Field Office in a news release.

The shipment arrived from China on its way to Maryland. Louisville CBP said it is seeing nightly counterfeit shipments from locations known to produce fakes. The CBP's Centers of Excellence and Expertise deem what is considered counterfeit.

Fast-growing e-commerce allows consumers to purchase millions of products online, but that creates opportunities for counterfeit goods to enter the U.S. American consumers buy 20 percent of counterfeit goods sold worldwide.

Counterfeit costume jewelry bearing famous brands like Chanel have been found to contain lead and other toxic materials that are harmful to people's health.

CBP has created an educational initiative to heighten consumer awareness about the dangers of purchasing counterfeit goods online or in stores. You can find more information about the initiative CBP.gov.fakegoodsrealdangers.

For more ways to protect yourself from counterfeit and pirated goods, visit StopFakes.gov.