250 counterfeit Chanel brooches seized in Mississippi

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the port of Vicksburg/Jackson in Mississippi have seized a shipment of 250 women's broaches that infringe trademarks held by luxury designer Chanel.

The counterfeit jewellery bore the "CC" Chanel trademark, and if genuine would be worth $162,500, said CBP, which discovered the shipment during routine inspections at an express consignment facility.

"People often make the mistake of believing that purchasing counterfeit items is a victimless crime,” said CBP acting assistant director of field operations Miguel Garza in a statement. "However, these items often fund transnational criminal organizations, and cost taxpayers billions."

Counterfeit watches and jewellery make up almost half of the total manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of seized counterfeit goods in the US.