CHICAGO – (Scroll down for video) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the Chicago Field Office have seized over 16-thousand counterfeit hoverboards with an estimated MSRP of over $6million. The self-balancing scooters, commonly referred to as “hoverboards” contain batteries that are deemed unauthorized and therefore counterfeit as well as fake trademark logos.
“This is a fine example of our Officers and Import Specialists ensuring that only safe and legal products enter the U.S.,” said Director of Field Operations, William Ferrara. “Not only are these hoverboards a serious safety hazard but they also threaten our economic security by hurting legitimate businesses who invest significant amounts of resources into development and protection of their brands.”
The final seizure total in Chicago is expected to significantly increase in the coming weeks due to the massive amount of shipments still being processed.
Hoverboards—self-balancing, two-wheeled, motorized platforms—are some of this past holiday season’s most popular items. Major safety concerns have surfaced following reports of fires possibly caused by substandard and counterfeit lithium ion batteries that power some hoverboards.
