LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Authorities at the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport recently seized 16,620 counterfeit wireless earphones and charging cables arriving from China that violated Apple's AirPod and Lightning protected trademarks, officials said today.
The items, which were seized on July 2 and July 15, included 2,400 pairs of counterfeit wireless earphones and 14,220 counterfeit charging cables, said Jaime Ruiz of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
If genuine, the seized merchandise would have had an estimated manufacturer's suggested retail price of $651,780, Ruiz said.
“Counterfeit products have a negative impact on the U.S. economy, as each time a consumer buys a counterfeit good, a legitimate company loses revenue,'' said Carlos C. Martel, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. “This translates to lost profits and U.S. jobs over time.''
Available on illegitimate websites and sold in underground outlets, counterfeit commodities multiply the illegal profits of smugglers and traffickers, Martel said.
“Counterfeit electrical goods are not put through the same vigorous safety checks as legitimate items and are often very dangerous,'' said Donald R. Kusser, CBP Area Port director of the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport.
Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection.