Overview

• Customs and Border Protection officers confiscated 243 counterfeit designer watches at a cargo examination station at O’Hare International Airport on May 4.
• The shipment, originating from China and bound for Bensonville, included fake versions of high-end brands such as Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe.
• CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise verified the items as counterfeit, estimating their combined retail value at $6.64 million if genuine.
• This seizure follows a trend of increased counterfeit interceptions at O’Hare, with over $9.2 million in fake goods confiscated in April alone.
• Authorities are investigating the shipment’s origins and distribution networks, highlighting the ongoing challenges of combating illicit trade.