U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News, Va., seized a shipment of 60 counterfeit and dangerous hair dryers from China last Friday. The hand-supported hair dryers, which were destined to an address in Hamilton, N.J., were valued at $4,800.
CBP officers examined the shipment on June 20 and suspected that the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) mark on the hair dryers may have been used without authorization, so officers detained the shipment to verify trademark authenticity.
CBP officers submitted product documentation and photographs to CBP’s trade experts at the Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Center of Excellence and Expertise (CEE) for analysis. On July 1, CBP’s trade experts verified that the hair dryers were unauthorized to bear the UL marking. Merchandise bearing counterfeit marks is subject to seizure and forfeiture pursuant to CBP’s statutory and regulatory authorities.
Additionally, compliance investigators from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported on July 2 that the hair dryers were not equipped with the required immersion protection device. The immersion protection device is a circuit interrupter that reduces the risk of electric shock if the hair dryer is immersed in, or otherwise contacts, water.
Counterfeiters generally manufacture products using substandard parts. Affixing the unauthorized UL certification mark falsely implies that a product has been certified to meet quality and safety standards for electrical equipment and wiring. Manufacturers who are willing to use fraudulent trademarks are also likely to cut corners on other product quality standards, which could lead to consumer safety threats such as electrical shock, burning, or fire.
“Handheld hair dryers are one of the most commonly and frequently used appliances in our homes, so consumers should be absolutely certain of the product’s quality and reliability. Don’t gamble with your family’s health and safety just to save a buck; buy an authentic hair dryer from a reputable and authorized vendor,” said Mark Laria, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News, Va.
The international trade in counterfeit consumer goods is illegal. It steals revenues from trademark holders, steals tax revenues from the government, funds transnational criminal organizations, and the unregulated products potentially threaten the health and safety of American consumers. Counterfeit consumer goods may also be sourced or manufactured in facilities that employ forced labor.
