I'm going to China in the next month and I want to buy a fake Rolex watch. Would I be able to bring it to Aus?

Question

Im asking because im not sure about bringing fakes back into Australia but many people I've known have done it plently of times before. im just want to know if I would be doign something illegal here.

Answer 1

The basic rule is you can bring fake goods into the country for personal use only ie you can bring in a watch or two to wear yourself however you couldn't bring in say 20 because they would suspect that you would sell them to people claiming they are real.

Answer 2

Anything you bring home for personal use is generally not a problem.  Its when the value is above X (determined by your country) and you obviously bought it there but didnt declare it or when its considered commercial goods, ie goods for sale or to solicit orders etc that you have problems.  

I always bring home a disk wallet full of bootleg DVD movies packed with my carry on laptop.  We are talking 20 or so not 200! and I have never had a problem coming through US customs even though there is Chinese character writing all over the disks so they are OBVIOUS bootlegs.   I do have the occasional issues from bringing home my development samples of shoes (Im a designer so I bring samples back and forth all the time)  But then those are commercial, or for work not just for my own personal use.

Wearing it is one idea but just having one, not packed in the original packaging, but just rolled in a sock or something like you would normally carry a watch to keep it safe in your luggage should also NOT be a problem.  They will see a watch (no big deal) in your bag when they X-ray it.  They will not go ooh Rolex! Better take it out and check this thing for fakes...  If you have 6 watches in your checked bag they MIGHT check you though.  Also if you ever did have an issue you are FAR more likely to just have it confiscated than have any actual problems over it.  Just play dumb.  "I don't know I bought it in some little shop in HK.  I liked the copper colored face"  You aren't smuggling drugs here or even 15 fake Louis Vuitton handbags that look like you are going to sell them.  Its one watch for personal use.  Not an issue.  Do you really think underpaid security guards who man x-ray machines all day and look at thousands of bags a day are going to stop the line up for 1 watch in a suitcase.  They prolly cant tell the difference between a real and a fake anyway.

Don't worry so much.  As long as you are legitimately not a bad guy or a smuggler / terrorist / diabetic with insulin syringes (DONT GET ME STARTED ON THAT ONE!!!!) then you will have nothing to worry about.  Think of how many people walk through customs every day.  They are after real criminals not the rest of us.  You don't have dark skin, hair and a full beard do you???  

Oh and don't get worked up about yr watch and look freaked out when you go through though cause they actually look at you more closely than your bags...

Answer 3

Yes...just wear it. I guess in a way it would be illegal as they expect that you declare it.

Another way to do it is buy that watch in China and mail it to your home.

Answer 4

well, as the person above said..  wearing it and bring it back to aus is fine but don't bring too many like 5 or 20 or somethin~    but of course it is not good to wear a fake walch

  this is my opinion

Answer 5

In theory you should not bring it back into Australia as copy watches breach international copyright laws to which Australia conforms. Reality = as long as you do not have commercial quantities the Customs people won't be too fussed ... the suggestion to wear it is a good one