Eleven counterfeit Richard Mille watches with a potential retail value of $2.6 million have been seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

According to a release from the agency, the watches, shipped from China and bound for destinations across the southeastern United States, were found to bear fake trademarks belonging to the Swiss luxury watchmaker. CBP trade experts determined the watches were inauthentic and intercepted the shipment, the agency says.

To be clear: The $2.6 million figure represents what the watches would have been worth at the manufacturer's suggested retail price had they been genuine, not the value of the knock-off pieces.

“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 says in the release. “Our CBP officers are on the front lines every day guarding against defrauders, while protecting legitimate American businesses who are often harmed by these criminal organizations.”

Counterfeit watches are among a range of products targeted by CBP, which says handbags, wallets, apparel, footwear, jewelry, and consumer electronics are also frequently faked.

"Illegitimate sales are some of the most profitable transnational crimes," the agency says in the release. "Counterfeiters sell inauthentic versions of popular products in response to trends, often through online sources, which adversely impacts legitimate U.S. businesses.

These items include fake medications, perfumes, cosmetics, children’s toys and costumes, fashion, jewelry, and luxury products, and unsafe electronics and automotive parts, which can pose serious health and safety risks as they are often made with substandard or harmful materials."

Counterfeit goods can often be spotted by their inferior quality, they say: "Peeling labels, low-quality ink or printing errors on the packaging, and the quality of the packaging can be signs that the product you purchased may not be legitimate. Counterfeit apparel and handbags may feature poor or uneven stitching, be improperly sized, or not exist as a product the designer brand produces at all. The performance of counterfeit electronics is often marked by short battery life and regular overheating."

CBP recommends buying directly from brand owners or authorized retailers and checking online sellers' reviews and contact information before making a purchase. Its Truth Behind Counterfeits campaign offers more information about spotting fake merchandise and understanding the risks.

"Remember that if the price of a product seems too good to be true, it probably is," they say.