Middlesex County Couple Charged With Counterfeiting Designer Watches

A Middlesex County couple counterfeited designer watches as part of an international ring that brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars, authorities said.

The couple was arrested after authorities say they seized more than 150,000 counterfeit watches, watch parts and equipment used to assemble wrist watches from their home in the Parlin section of Sayreville.

Kam Wa Chan, 51, and his wife Yuet Kai Wong, 47, were arrested at their residence on Aug. 12 and were charged with counterfeiting, money laundering and conspiracy, all second­-degree offenses, according to a news release issued Monday by Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey.

The investigation, dubbed “Operation Big Time,” was conducted by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the United States Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Inspector and the New Jersey Department of Treasury.

According to the news release:

Patek Phillippe, Movado, Cartier, and Gucci were among the brands the defendants were counterfeiting. The retail value of authentic watches was estimated at more than $15 million.

Investigators “determined the defendants were involved in an international counterfeit trafficking ring that smuggled imitation high-­end watches and other items from Hong Kong to New Jersey for assembly and sale.”

“Counterfeit operations of this scale are rarely uncovered by law enforcement,” Carey said in a prepared statement. “Reputable companies take great pains to establish their brands; counterfeiters cost those companies billions of dollars. Counterfeiting threatens jobs, undermines consumer confidence and limits innovations. We will continue to partner with other law enforcement agencies to target similar criminal activity that provides an outlet for an underground black market.”

Carey credited Assistant Prosecutor Russell Curley, Assistant Prosecutor Tzvi Dolinger, Sergeant Michael Daniewicz and Detective Ryan Tighe, all of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, for their work on the case.

Carey also thanked Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Andrew McLees, and Supervisory Special Agent Sophia Ciaccio and Special Agent Brad Greenberg for their participation in the investigation.

Also cited for their assistance were U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Maria Kelokates and U.S. Postal Inspector Brian Macdonald from the Newark Division; the New Jersey Department of Treasury/Office of Criminal Investigation under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Charles Giblin, and Special Agent William Makar.

The husband and wife are being held at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center in North Brunswick in lieu of bail set at $100,000 each.