US border control seize thousands of ‘fake AirPods’ – before realising they are OnePlus Buds
‘Hey, give those back!' the official OnePlus USA account replied on Twitter
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.US Borders and customs have seized 2000 headphones made by Chinese technology giant OnePlus, believing them to be fake versions of Apple’s AirPods.
At the end of August, a press release states, customs officers confiscated the headphones.
“If the merchandise were genuine”, it says, the suggested retail price “would have been $398,000”.
The merchandise was, in fact, genuine, and the retail price would have been approximately $160,000 – the cost of 2000 $79 (£79) OnePlus Buds.
Border Protection also tweeted an accompanying photo, which clearly displays the brand’s name and logo.
“That’s not an Apple”, the CBP official account tweeted.
“Hey, give those back!” the official OnePlus USA account replied.
Many others replied to the tweet, mocking the agency for its mistake.
“Those are clearly labeled as not being an Apple product”, said one, while another asked the agency to “Please don't seize my phone when I re-enter the country”.
In 2018, OnePlus only had a two per cent market share in the US, but has made headlines with its flagship smartphones that aim to offer the same features as more expensive competitors at a lower price.
Recently, it announced the OnePlus Nord, a budget smartphone it had teased for an extended period of time.
“CBP Officers are protecting the American public from various dangers on a daily basis,” said Troy Miller, Director of CBP’s New York Field Operations, in a statement.
“The interception of these counterfeit earbuds is a direct reflection of the vigilance and commitment to mission success by our CBP Officers daily.”
The Independent has reached out to OnePlus and US Customers and Border Protection for comment.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments