LOUISVILLE, KY – Since the middle of July, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Louisville have seized counterfeit bracelets and other jewelry worth over $90 million if the goods were genuine.
From July 17 to 31, CBP officers at the Express Consignment Operations hub seized three large shipments of counterfeit bracelets totaling more than $42 million. This seizure led to the arrest of a pastor in North Carolina who was discovered with a cache of more than 3,200 fake Cartier bracelets. On Aug. 2, North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall announced that church pastor JianGang “Frank” Lan was charged with felony criminal use of a counterfeit trademark and is being held under $25,000 bond in the Orange County Jail.
The next large seizure took place from Sept. 9 to 17, when CBP officers seized five shipments that contained counterfeit jewelry, which would be worth more than $48 million if genuine.
“When purchasing items from a vendor over the internet, if it seems like too good of a deal it is,” said Thomas Mahn Jr., Louisville port director. “A Cartier bracelet listed online for $25 is definitely not authentic.”
Consumers should be aware that counterfeit products are often manufactured in unregulated facilities and with substandard materials.
“Seizures, like these, will ensure inferior, often dangerous goods do not fall into the hands of everyday Americans,” Mahn said. “Counterfeit jewelry is often forged with lead and other hazardous materials unbeknownst to the buyer. These seizures protect the rights of the intellectual property rights holder, health and safety of Americans, and the reputation of online marketplaces involved in these transactions.”