Authorities at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Houston intercepted a considerable haul of fake merchandise. Over 7 million dollars worth of counterfeit Apple phone chargers were seized, totalling 373,000 USB chargers with the tech giant's trademark clearly visible on the packaging, as confirmed by Click2Houston.
The fake chargers were contained in 7,460 cartons, a discovery made at the Port of Houston/Galveston by CBP officials who along with representatives from Apple, confirmed the items' lack of authenticity, counterfeit items remain a pressing issue for the U.S. economy particularly by undermining consumer trust and undermining businesses that operate within legal and ethical bounds. "Counterfeiting is stealing, period, and it is illegal to purchase counterfeit goods," said CBP Acting Area Port Director John Landry, in a statement obtained by Click2Houston.
While the release did not specify the origin of these counterfeit items or their intended destination facts remain clear regarding the broader issue of counterfeit merchandise, as detailed by FOX 26 Houston. China and Hong Kong have been identified as major sources for such items, with an astounding 90 percent of counterfeit items seized coming from these locations in the past fiscal year.
John Landry also addressed the impact of counterfeit goods on the economy and public he said, "Counterfeit activities negatively impact American legitimate jobs and counterfeiters don’t pay taxes. They hurt innovation by stealing intellectual property from registered trademarks and the counterfeits are often produced under unsanitary labor exploitation conditions," according to FOX 26 Houston. Consumer awareness is crucial, and as a preventive measure CBP encourages buyers to only purchase from established, legitimate sources.
Accounting for the highest MSRP in counterfeit seizures over three years are items like jewelry, watches, and handbags or wallets, yet this latest apprehension points to the ongoing battle against electronic counterfeits which have significant safety implications for unsuspecting consumers purchasing these potentially dangerous knock-offs.
