Counting cost of fake watches

[finisterre]

From The Times (London)

Counting cost of fake watches

PORTLAND A man who picked up eight fake Rolex watches in China for $14.40 (

[cableguy]

holy crap

[deltatahoe]

holy crap

my thoughts exactly

[dadog13]

don't they have better things to do than this!...no comment!

[hambone]

Good lesson here. Do not wear a rep Rolex while going through US customs, especially if you have a half dozen more in your suitcase.

[cornerstone]

Local news report on the story

(Including copies of the correspondence)

[b16a2]

My word that seems a bit disproportionate!

[pubus]

this is nonsense. Guy told he even hadnt got a court time yet. And fined already. Hes afraid if it will come to the must of visiting the court he can be fined another, biger fee.

this is probably the worst scenario for us all. If a postman delivers watch and something else

[Pugwash]

He's being strung up as an example, it's not un usual behaviour. Besides, he was smuggling counterfeit goods into the US in a silly manner.

[TeeJay]

Oh dear...

Something I thought was interesting in the article, was that he was allowed to keep the watch he was wearing. Surely a counterfeit is a counterfeit, so should've been confiscated anyway... Personally, if I was the guy, I'd argue that it was a violation of his 4th Amendment rights:

4th Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated; and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.

[Pugwash]

Personally, if I was the guy, I'd argue that it was a violation of his 4th Amendment rights:

Ha ha ha.

Customs officers count as a reasonable search, I'm afraid. Besides, you're not in the US when they search you.

[TeeJay]

Ha ha ha.

Customs officers count as a reasonable search, I'm afraid. Besides, you're not in the US when they search you.

Fair enough

[crystalcranium]

The fine is over the top but this is an example of making an example. It's unfortunate for the guy but....it's just plain stupid trying to move ANYTHING illegal these days by air travel. The security checkpoints at airports are filled with individuals who can't believe the inspectors found that baggie of pot stuffed into their sock. Thank you Richard Reid (The shoe bomber).

I'm as "give the guy a break" prone as anybody but....8 watches does seem excessive....as does the fine.

[Watchmeister]

I am sure it is painful but if he can afford the lawyer he will certainly get off (unless it is not his first offense ) . But to all here my strong advice is to ship whatever you buy if you insist on buying while abroad. Assuming the guy had no knowledge of the widespread availability of reps I am sympathetic. Anyone who does that around here should certainly know better.

[cornerstone]

The real lesson is to invest in a modded MBW rather than a Canal Street effort that can be spotted a mile off (I'm kidding, I'm kidding)

Or in 8 modded MBW's...

Yes, I think with legal representation he will reach a less expensive arrangement too.

[cornerstone]

I just had a thought.....what if they ever busted Tanfoglio!

[rek001]

Well at least he seems to live the good life - a grandfather who is a race car mechanic with a probably much younger tattoo artist GF.

[eddhead]

He's being strung up as an example, it's not un usual behaviour. Besides, he was smuggling counterfeit goods into the US in a silly manner.

maybe, but it seems to me that homeland security should have more important things on thier plate than hassling otherwise law abiding and tax paying citizens over relatively minor infractions. I am sorry but this is not their job, i.e. to protect the interests of big business.

Focus on protecting the citzenry as opposed to the corporate interests please. God almighty.

[Pugwash]

maybe, but it seems to me that homeland security should have more important things on thier plate than hassling otherwise law abiding and tax paying citizens over relatively minor infractions. I am sorry but this is not their job, i.e. to protect the interests of big business.

Focus on protecting the citzenry as opposed to the corporate interests please. God almighty.

Sure, but if they're paid to spot smugglers evading import duty (it's what they do) then catching people with counterfeits is kinda like a free bonus. It's not like they're catching counterfeit-wearers instead of catching genuine smugglers.

ps. is it really homeland security and not "Customs and Excise" that are catching them?

[rsv123]

ps. is it really homeland security and not "Customs and Excise" that are catching them?

Or maybe they just brought everyone in US Customs and border patrol under the "Homeland security" umbrella for political point scoring reasons?

[andreww]

Btw, I haven't seen the watches, but maybe this guy isn't being as honest as he appears. He says he paid $1.80 each for these, but is that true? What if he walks over the border with 8 MBWs? Obviously thats a different story. I think there is probably more to this story than this guy is letting on!

[eddhead]

Or maybe they just brought everyone in US Customs and border patrol under the "Homeland security" umbrella for political point scoring reasons?

You're probably right about that. Just went to the US Customs Home page and noticed the Dept. of Homeland Security Logo. It seems Customs and Border protection are a combined agency. Still, this stuff really bothers me, and not for the obvious reasons.

[archibald]

What a Moron. That evildoer. Fake watches as presents? Didn't he know that if he just took Narwaf al-Hamzi out to dinner, president Bush would have held his relatives' hands on the way to dinner @ the White House?

[alligoat]

This is just another example of how screwed up our government really is. You just have to hope someone with some sense in the government will get this situation corrected.

[Pugwash]

I love how people can turn this into an anti-Bush rant.