U. S. Customs and Border Protection Officers seize wall chargers with counterfeit UL markings
PORT OF NEW YORK /NEWARK – Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers made a shocking discovery at the Port of New York/Newark: counterfeit wall chargers that could cause grave damage to holiday shoppers, their families, and their homes. Fortunately, CBP officers are stationed at ports of entry to prevent the release of counterfeit merchandise into the United States.
On September 28, CBP officers at the Port of New York/Newark selected for inspection a shipment of imported merchandise for possible Intellectual Property Rights violations. Specialists from CBP’s Electronics Center of Excellence and Expertise (eCEE) determined that 150,000 wall chargers, filling 1,500 cartons, bore counterfeit UL markings in violation of 19 U.S.C. §1526(e).
“Preventing these counterfeit items from entering the United States is crucial to protecting consumers as well as our economy,” said Troy Miller, Director, Field Operations New York. “Once again our CBP officers at the Port of New York/New Jersey have demonstrated their exceptional skill and superior commodity expertise.”
“The CEEs have transformed the way that CBP conducts trade operations, while working with the ports of entry to better facilitate legitimate trade,” said Jorge Garcia, Director, eCEE. “This seizure illustrates our working relationship with CBP Officers at the Port of New York/New Jersey to prevent these potentially dangerous products from entering our homes.”
The total manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the seized wall chargers, if they were genuine, was estimated to be more than $2.7 million.
To learn more about CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise visit the Centers of Excellence webpage.
CBP has established an educational initiative at U.S. international airports and online in order to raise consumer awareness about the consequences and dangers that can be associated with the purchase of counterfeit and pirated goods. These include the loss of American jobs, support of criminal activity, significant risks to consumer health and safety, and the impacts of unknowingly purchasing counterfeits online.
