Awkward: US Customs brag about seizing fake AirPods which are actually OnePlus Buds

When Apple launched its iconic AirPods, many companies blatantly copied the look and design and came out with their own version the wireless earphones. So much so that at one point, it became quite difficult to tell the fake apart from the real ones, from a distance at least. But, looks like OnePlus might have gone a step too far with their version of AirPods-like earphones.

A shipment of OnePlus Buds was seized by the US Customs and Border Protection agency. And, the agency misidentified OnePlus Buds as counterfeit Apple AirPods. In fact, they even tweeted a photo of one of the confiscated "counterfeit AirPods".

US Customs and Border Protection in a press release stated: "On August 31, CBP officers seized 2,000 counterfeit Apple Airpod Earbuds from Hong Kong destined for Nevada at an air cargo facility located at John F. Kennedy International Airport. If the merchandise were genuine, the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) would have been $398,000."

Praising the CBP Officers, Troy Miller, Director of CBP’s New York Field Operations, said they are protecting the American public from various dangers. “CBP Officers are protecting the American public from various dangers on a daily basis. The interception of these counterfeit earbuds is a direct reflection of the vigilance and commitment to mission success by our CBP Officers daily,” he said.

While tweeting about it, the CBP didn't realised that the seized merchandise was actually genuine OnePlus Buds and not Apple AirPods. The photo shared on their official Twitter handle and media website shows the retail box of the product with clear mention of OnePlus Buds. Later, when they realised their blunder, the CBP tweeted saying, "THAT’S NOT AN APPLE.”

The CBP’s press release further claimed that Nationwide in fiscal year (FY) 2019, CBP seized 27,599 shipments containing goods that violated intellectual property rights (IPR). The total estimated MSRP of the seized goods, had they been genuine, increased to nearly $1.5 billion from over $1.4 billion in FY 2018.

(To download our E-paper please click here. The publishers permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)