Texas Agents Seize $7M in Fake Apple Chargers at Houston Port

If you’ve ever scored a too-cheap Apple charger online, you might want to double-check what’s plugged into your wall.

This week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents at the Port of Houston and Galveston seized a massive haul of 373,000 counterfeit Apple chargers, worth over $7 million if sold at retail price. That’s nearly 7,500 cartons of fakes, all disguised with Apple branding and logos.

CBP worked with Apple to confirm that the lightning cables were phony. And while this might sound like a victimless crime, officials say the impact goes far deeper than a few shorted-out phone cords.

CBP Acting Area Port Director John Landry explained that importing these dupes isn't a victimless crime, “They hurt innovation by stealing intellectual property from registered trademarks and the counterfeits are often produced under unsanitary labor exploitation conditions."

Read More: $200,000 Worth of Packages Found Inside Home of Texas UPS Worker

Landry warned that counterfeit operations increasingly use e-commerce to sneak fake goods into the country, taking advantage of busy ports like Houston.

CBP says that China and Hong Kong are responsible for 90% of seized fake goods in the U.S. during fiscal year 2024.

Buy from trusted sources

Want to protect yourself? Officials say to only buy from trusted sources, know what a legit charger should cost, and avoid deals that seem too good to be true. If a $5 charger looks exactly like Apple’s $29 version, then odds are, it’s not the real deal.

Bottom line: buying fake tech might save you a buck today, but it could cost a lot more in the long run.