Last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents confiscated about $290,000 in counterfeit Apple Watch and AirPods that had been smuggled from China to Washington Dulles International Airport.

The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspected four shipments from Fairfax County on March 15. A total of 50 Apple Watches and 1,000 second-generation Apple AirPods Pro were included in these shipments. The products were taken over by the officers for additional scrutiny because they suspected they may be fake.

SEE ALSO: From Hrithik Roshan To Virat Kohli, 10 Iconic Brands Founded By Male Celebs

On March 16, CBP agents delivered records and images to the agency’s trade professionals. On March 21, the experts determined that the Apple items were fakes and estimated their value to be $289,550 if they had been authentic. On March 29, CBP agents confiscated the fake Apple items. However, No one has been charged with an offense.

According to Christine Waugh, acting area port director for CBP’s Washington, D.C. area port, Unscrupulous producers and merchants unlawfully gain on the distribution and sale of inferior quality counterfeit products at cost to the health and security of American customers. Customs and Border Protection strongly advises customers to buy genuine products from reputable or authorized sellers to safeguard their health and wallets.

SEE ALSO: Creepy Hyper Realistic Masks Of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos And Others Costing Rs 16 Lakh Stuns The Internet

According to Customs and Border Protection, the worldwide trade in counterfeit consumer products is illegal because it deceives trademark owners of their sales, shifts taxes from the government, helps finance international gangs, and the unregulated items may endanger the physical well-being and safety of American customers.