Dozens of counterfeit luxury watches with a suggested retail value of about $1.3 million were seized over the past two months at Los Angeles International Airport, authorities said Friday.
The 41 watches were imported from China during a five-week period in April and May. They arrived in individual package via air cargo bound for destinations across the United States, according to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials.
"In an attempt to evade detection by CBP officials, the watches were declared as 'Bracelet,' 'Belt,' 'Decoration,' 'Watch Box,' and 'Wall Clock,' said CBP spokesperson Jaime Ruiz.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
The Consumer Products & Mass Merchandising Center said the watches infringed the following registered trademarks.
- Rolex (37 pieces)
- Luminor Panerai (one piece)
- Patek Philippe (one piece)
- Audemars Piguet (one piece)
- Omega (one piece)
"There are thousands of private sellers, collectors, and other non-legitimate sources offering luxury watches on e-commerce platforms making it extremely difficult for consumers to spot these fakes," said Carlos C. Martel, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. "Consumers should know that buying fake watches is never a good idea -- don't waste your money. Counterfeit watches are made with cheap metals that could cause skin allergic reactions and will likely break as they lack the craftsmanship and quality of the real ones."
Counterfeit watches on illegitimate websites could expose consumers to internet security risks -- from malware or ransomware, to compromising personal data and financial information shared during the purchase, Martel said.
