Louisville CBP Seizes Over $9 Million in Counterfeit Luxury Jewelry from Hong Kong Shipments

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Louisville, Kentucky port intercepted two express consignment shipments on April 3 containing a total of 1,588 pieces of counterfeit jewelry. The seized items, if authentic, would have carried a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) exceeding $9.2 million.

The shipments arrived from Hong Kong and were addressed to a residential location in New York. The counterfeit cargo included 691 pairs of earrings, 522 bracelets, 197 necklaces, and 178 rings. Each piece bore the trademarks and designed brand names of prominent luxury fashion houses, including Cartier, Chanel, Christian Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Yves Saint Laurent.

CBP officers, suspecting the authenticity of the jewelry, detained the shipments and forwarded documentation and photographs to CBP’s Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Center of Excellence and Expertise. This specialized team collaborated with the trademark owners to verify that the products were counterfeit and subject to seizure under CBP’s statutory and regulatory authorities.

Phil Onken, Louisville Port Director, emphasized the broader implications of illicit counterfeit trade, stating, “Illicit trade in counterfeit goods can be found in all product lines and all industries, representing a significant threat to America’s innovation economy, the competitiveness of our businesses, the livelihoods of U.S. workers and, in some cases, national security and the health and safety of consumers.” He urged consumers to purchase only authentic products from reputable retailers to protect families and the U.S. economy.

The rise of e-commerce has facilitated consumer access to millions of products online but has also increased opportunities for counterfeit and pirated goods to infiltrate the U.S. market. Annually, U.S. consumers spend over $100 billion on goods that infringe intellectual property rights, falling victim to approximately 20% of the counterfeit products sold worldwide.

In response, CBP launched the Truth Behind Counterfeits educational campaign to raise awareness about the dangers and consequences associated with counterfeit and pirated goods. Counterfeit consumer products pose risks including substandard materials that may harm consumers, theft of trademark owners’ rights, loss of tax revenues, and funding of transnational criminal organizations. Additionally, some counterfeit goods may be produced in facilities employing forced labor.

CBP’s enforcement efforts are robust; in fiscal year 2025 alone, the agency seized over 78 million counterfeit goods with an estimated MSRP exceeding $7.3 billion if genuine. These seizures demonstrate CBP’s commitment to protecting businesses and consumers through its Intellectual Property Rights enforcement program.

Trademark and copyright owners can register their intellectual property with CBP’s e-Recordation program to enhance border protection. CBP also encourages the public to report suspected counterfeit imports anonymously via its e-Allegation Program.

For more information, stakeholders can access CBP’s Intellectual Property Rights webpage, IPR Dashboard, and Annual IPR Seizures Reports. CBP also maintains active social media channels and a YouTube presence to educate the public on border security and enforcement initiatives.

As the nation’s largest law enforcement organization and first unified border management agency, CBP’s 70,000+ personnel safeguard America’s borders by enforcing lawful trade and travel, thereby supporting economic prosperity and national security through innovation and collaboration.