Customs officials: 1,600 counterfeit Roku remotes seized en route to Butler County

Customs and Border Protection officials operate by a simple philosophy: the more popular something is, the more likely that someone in the world is busy creating a counterfeit version.

So with millions of Americans streaming billions of television shows and movies amid the coronavirus quarantine, customs officials in Pittsburgh were not surprised to seize $80,000 worth of counterfeit Roku streaming devices destined for an address in Butler County on April 19.

“When something becomes popular, you have places in China and Hong Kong that are going to mass produce them,” said customs mid-Atlantic region public affairs officer Steve Sapp.

The shipment of 1,600 remotes arrived from China on April 13, customs officials said. Earlier this month, customs seized counterfeit shipments worth more than $200,000 which included designer charms, sneakers, purses, wallets and more.

In addition to committing intellectual property theft, counterfeiters’ pursuit of quick profits can put consumers in danger.

“Because things are made with substandard materials, they can break, they can overheat and burn people,” Sapp said. “That’s the biggest concern we have with it.”

Nationwide, customs officers seized about $4.3 million worth of counterfeit products during an average day in 2019, according to department statistics.

Sapp said officers don’t necessarily follow trends to identify items ripe for counterfeiting but, rather, rely on historical data.

“The only trending things you really see are sports jerseys, especially after a draft or a championship,” he said.

Sometimes, however, an item will suddenly become a global phenomenon unexpectedly.

“A good example of a spike we weren’t anticipating was back in 2016 with hover boards,” Sapp said. “They came out and no one thought much about them. But then they got popular, kids wanted them, and you saw tens of thousands being counterfeited and shipped to the U.S. every day.”

Keeping up with counterfeiters is a constant battle, officials said.

“Customs and Border Protection officers remain committed to protecting the intellectual property rights of businesses while protecting consumers against potentially harmful counterfeit products,” said Kathleen Killian Schafer, customs acting port director for the Port of Pittsburgh.

“Consumers should be aware that counterfeit goods pose a health and safety threat and should protect their families by purchasing safe, authentic goods from reputable vendors.”