In what is sure to become the crime of the future, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers recently intercepted two shipments containing 2,380 counterfeit hoverboards entering the Port of Charleston.
Yes, much like how Marty McFly commandeered a small child’s hoverboard to escape Griff Tannen and his gang in Back to the Future Part II, so too have our local customs officers stepped in to outwit the criminals behind these potentially combustible conveyances.
According to a press release from the CBP, which is tasked with ensuring that imports comply with U.S. regulations and safety standards, the seized hoverboards violated trademark protections and posed a potential health risk to consumers. Manufactured in China, these hoverboards would carry a suggested retail price of more than $1.6 million in the United States.
This discovery by customs officials is just another example of the growing threat of counterfeit hoverboards arriving on American shores. According to the CBP, officers in Chicago recently seized more than 16,000 potentially unsafe hoverboards, and more than 50,000 boards have been confiscated across the nation.
“Enforcing product safety laws and protecting intellectual property rights is a top priority for Customs and Border Protection,” said CBP’s acting area port director for the Port of Charleston, Anthony Acrey, in a statement. “By seizing untested and potentially hazardous products at our nation’s borders, CBP officers protect the American consumer and contribute to keeping our communities safe beyond the holiday season.”
So remember next time you go down to the docks to get your hands on a fresh shipment of hoverboards, you’re not only putting yourself in danger — you’re putting America in danger too.
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