Over 1,000 Fake AirPods Pro Seized at Dulles International Airport, Counterfeiters Would Have Made $290,000

United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized more than 1,000 pairs of counterfeit AirPods Pro 2 devices from Washington Dulles International Airport back in March, the CBP announced yesterday.

airpods pro 2 purple
Four shipments bound for Fairfax County, Virginia were inspected on March 15, and investigators found the 1,000 knockoff AirPods and 50 fake Apple Watches. The products were shipped from China, and counterfeiters would have made more than $290,000 selling the goods at Apple's suggested retail price had they been genuine.

The counterfeit Apple products were seized on March 29, but no one has been charged in the case.

"Unscrupulous manufacturers and vendors illegally profit on the sale of substandard counterfeit products at the expense and safety of American consumers," said Christine Waugh, CBP's Acting Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C. "Customs and Border Protection urges consumers to protect their health and wallets by buying authentic consumer goods from reputable or authorized vendors."

The CBP says that during fiscal 2022, it seized close to 21,000 shipments containing counterfeit goods that violate the U.S. Intellectual Property Rights enforcement program.

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Top Rated Comments

segfaultdotorg Avatar
24 months ago
The one good thing about the knockoffs is that Apple won't roll out a firmware update which destroys the active noise cancellation.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IDontCareLol Avatar
24 months ago

A bit exaggerated, who would buy counterfeit Airpods with likely functional flaws at the same price as Apple retail?
Would've sold for $100 at most
We see fake AirPods all the time. Most people say they bought them on eBay, market place, regional equivalent site or Amazon for a ‘sale price’. At a glance they’re impossible to tell apart from authentic Apple ones. Everyone thinks they’re buying authentic.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gpat Avatar
24 months ago
A bit exaggerated, who would buy counterfeit Airpods with likely functional flaws at the same price as Apple retail?
Would've sold for $100 at most
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
24 months ago
This article is another living proof of why Apple should release the exclusive Transparent Airpods :)

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orbital~debris Avatar
24 months ago
All these people buying knock-off versions from wherever… I am always curious if they realise they’re missing all the nice touches enabled by Apple ‘special sauce’ but don’t mind because “cheaper”, or if they just think that the limit to AirPod coolness is the white & silver cosmetic design.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
enigmaaron Avatar
24 months ago
Checks google, yup there’s an Amazon fulfillment center in Fairfax County, VA. Those of you wondering who would buy these, they sell them on Amazon as seemingly legit. If it seems too good to be true you gotta verify who the seller is. Amazon is plagued with counterfeit products.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)