Counterfeit Apple Products From China Seized By Customs Officers In VA

DULLES, VA — Customs officers seized a shipment of counterfeit Apple products valued at nearly $290,000 last month at Washington Dulles International Airport, according to a release.

On March 15, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers inspected four shipments from China that contained a total of 1,000 Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) and 50 Apple Watches. All four shipments were heading to an address in Fairfax County.

Suspecting that the items might be counterfeit, the officers detained the shipments and sent documentation and photographs to trade experts at CBP's Machinery Centers of Excellence and Expertise for further inspection.

On March 21, the CEE experts confirmed that the Apple products were counterfeit and, based on the manufactured suggested retail price, would've been worth $289,550 if they were genuine, according to the release. The counterfeit items were seized on March 29.

No one has been criminally charged in connection with this case, according to CBP

“Unscrupulous manufacturers and vendors illegally profit on the sale of substandard counterfeit products at the expense and safety of American consumers,” said Christine Waugh, CBP’s acting area port director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C., in a release. “Customs and Border Protection urges consumers to protect their health and wallets by buying authentic consumer goods from reputable or authorized vendors.”