INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized over $1 million in counterfeit electronics throughout the last month at the International Falls port of entry, according to a press release from the agency.
Last week, border protection seized counterfeit earphones and Apple and Samsung chargers, which had a total suggested retail price of over $55,000 if the products were originals. Officers found these electronics and others on rail cars that passed through the International Falls port of entry. They were heading to Ranier, a press release from border protection said.
In the second week of July, officers seized gas-price display boards from another rail car, which have an estimated retail value of nearly $600,000. And in late June, they found over 1,400 counterfeit LED televisions in a rail car, with an estimated retail value of over $400,000.
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The border patrol seized the products after determining whether they were genuine or counterfeit, which takes varying amounts of time depending on the product, said Kristi Lakefield, chief public affairs liaison for border protection.
Ending shipments of counterfeit goods is a top trade issue for border protection. Trading of “illicit” goods can damage the nation’s economy, as well as threaten health and safety, according to the news release.
