Eleven fake Richard Mille watches, worth $2.6 million if real, seized at DFW Airport

Federal officers at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport have seized 11 fake Richard Mille watches that would have carried a combined suggested retail price of about $2.6 million had they been real, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said this week.

The watches arrived in shipments from China and were headed to several destinations in the southeastern United States, according to the agency. Trade specialists from the agency's Center of Excellence and Expertise inspected the pieces, concluded they were not genuine and seized them for carrying counterfeit versions of the Swiss watchmaker's registered trademarks.

The $2.6 million figure reflects what authentic pieces would have sold for, not the value of the knockoffs, CBP noted.

The agency did not identify anyone connected to the shipments.

"The sale of fake goods often funds criminal organizations involved in money laundering, drug trafficking, and other illicit trade," CBP Area Port Director Jayson Ahern said in the release, adding that officers are working to protect legitimate businesses harmed by those groups.

What CBP says to watch for

CBP said counterfeiters follow buying trends and often sell through online outlets. Beyond luxury goods such as watches, handbags, wallets, clothing, shoes and jewelry, the agency listed fake medicines, perfumes, cosmetics, children's toys and costumes, electronics and auto parts among the items it sees, and said many are made with poor or harmful materials that can create health and safety risks.

Warning signs listed by the agency include peeling labels, smudged ink or misprinted packaging, uneven stitching on clothing and bags, odd sizing, and products that the brand does not actually make. Counterfeit electronics often have short battery life and run hot, it said.

The agency advises shoppers to buy from the brand itself or an authorized retailer and checking an online seller's reviews and contact information before paying. Its Truth Behind Counterfeits campaign has more guidance. A deal that looks too good to be true probably is, CBP said.

Sources

FOX 4

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