U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials seized a shipment of OnePlus Buds at John F. Kennedy Airport last month, apparently believing they were fake by Apple. AirPods, reports Facets…
CBP tweeted last night, when its employees “recently seized 2,000 fake Apple AirPods worth $ 398,000 from Hong Kong if they were genuine.”
The tweet was also linked to
official press release which praises CBP officers for “protecting the American population from a variety of hazards on a daily basis,” adding that “intercepting these fake earphones is a direct reflection of the vigilance and commitment to the success of our CBP staff’s mission every day.”
However, judging from the attached photos, the seized products are actually legitimate OnePlus Buds headphones, as clearly indicated on the packaging of the headphones. It’s not immediately clear if the 2,000 OnePlus Buds were confiscated, but given that CBP tweeted, “It’s not [Apple emoji]”in direct relation to the boxes, OnePlus suggests this is an unfortunate mistake.
Also, as noted FacetsThe CBP estimate suggests they were mistaken for “AirPods” because at $ 79, each 2,000 OnePlus Buds will cost $ 158,000, not $ 398,000. According to a CBP press release that does not mention the OnePlus brand, the devices arrived from Hong Kong and were heading to Nevada but were seized at JFK on Aug 31.
To be honest, OnePlus Buds are very similar to Apple’s stick-like earbuds, and there is no doubt that the market flooded with fake AirPods… But OnePlus is a well-established brand, and there is no shortage of other legitimate brands that “pay homage” to Apple’s form factor and iconic “AirPods” aesthetic by offering their own true wireless earbuds.
Whether the seizure was really the result of a provocation or just poor communication from CBP, OnePlus clearly saw the fun side: its official Reply to US Twitter account to a CBP tweet saying “Hey, bring them back!” accompanied by an upside-down emoticon.
