STERLING, Va. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 15 hoverboards with counterfeit and potentially dangerous batteries in Sterling, Va., on December 29. If genuine, the hoverboards, which were made in China and arrived from Japan, would have had a total estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) value of about $4,500.
Hoverboards—self-balancing, two-wheeled, motorized platforms—are some of this holiday season’s most popular items. However, major safety concerns have surfaced following reports of fires possibly caused by substandard and counterfeit lithium ion batteries that power some hoverboards.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is examining hoverboard fires across the country.
