However, the purchase of products from alternative online services rather than direct from manufacturer re-sellers can prove damaging to genuine companies and also risks a lack of safety regulations and quality control. 

This was the case recently when the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations officers seized over 1,000 counterfeit Watchfire LED screens.

Watchfire designs, builds and supports digital displays for applications such as outdoor sports video scoreboards, high resolution signs, digital billboard products, indoor displays and LED video walls.

The CBP officers were operating at the International Falls Port of Entry and targeted a rail container headed for Ranier, Minnesota.

On inspection, the officers found the LED screens to be in violation of intellectual property rights (IPR) regulations and seized the screens. They are estimated to have been worth manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,529,600 (£1,184,285) if they were genuine.

Anthony Jackson, International Falls Port Director comments: “CBP is focused on identifying and intercepting counterfeit merchandise and products. The enforcement of trade laws at US ports of entry remains a high priority for us.

“Counterfeiting adversely affects the ability of lawful copyright holders to profit from their original ideas. Counterfeiting also harms consumers because manufacturers of forged products have little motivation to use safe, high-quality materials in their products.”

According to CBP, a surge in foreign trade has seen “unscrupulous” companies profit billions of dollars from the sale of counterfeit and pirated goods.

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