U.S. Customs and Border Protection Mistakes OnePlus Buds for "Counterfeit Apple AirPods"
After the CBP proudly tweeted its accomplishment, OnePlus replied, “Hey, give those back!”
The United States‘ Customs and Border Protection has seized “counterfeit Apple AirPods” that, as reports and images show, turned out to be likely legitimate OnePlus wireless earbuds.
In its tweet, the CBP says, “CBP officers at JFK Airport recently seized 2,000 counterfeit Apple AirPods from Hong Kong, valued at $398K had they been genuine.” A press release also says, “The interception of these counterfeit earbuds is a direct reflection of the vigilance and commitment to mission success by our CBP Officers daily.”
THAT'S NOT AN 🍎 —
CBP officers at JFK Airport recently seized 2,000 counterfeit Apple AirPods from Hong Kong, valued at $398K had they been genuine.
Details via @CBPNewYorkCity: https://t.co/XMgjkfT56i pic.twitter.com/Ofn9REJ9ZB— CBP (@CBP) September 14, 2020
However, as the images show, these earbuds have been quite likely mistaken as counterfeit Apple AirPods and are instead OnePlus buds. Despite similarities in design, the box clearly states OnePlus branding — and the brand itself even replied to the CBP’s tweet saying, “Hey, give those back!”
The shipment was valued by the CBP at almost $400,000 USD. However, based on the assumption that all 2,000 seized units are legitimate OnePlus products, the total amount comes to $158,000 USD.
Furthermore, the press release doesn’t refer to OnePlus at all, which raises suspicions if the CBP had absolute clarity on what these earbuds probably are — legitimate OnePlus buds that, like many wireless earphones nowadays, resemble Apple’s design.
In other news, T.I. has been charged by the SEC for promoting a fraudulent cryptocurrency.
