Hundreds of counterfeit watches shipped into O'Hare

CHICAGO - Nearly 200 counterfeit watches were found in late June and early July at a mail facility at O’Hare International Airport, federal authorities said this week.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the facility inspected the 175 parcels containing 193 watches due to incorrect manifests or X-ray anomalies, officials said.

An appraiser found the watches were counterfeit. Most of the copies claimed to have been made by Rolex. Suggested retail prices for authentic watches would total $3.1 million.

“Counterfeit goods like this, come in by the truck-load on a nightly basis all across the nation threatening businesses and conning the consumer,” said Shane Campbell, area port director for the CBP in Chicago.