PHILADELPHIA – Distracted drivers aren’t the only vehicle threats on our nation’s highways. Count the proliferation of counterfeit vehicle parts as potential safety hazards too.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Philadelphia seized a counterfeit Chinese cache of vehicle parts on July 14 that were destined to an address in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa.

The shipment arrived on June 4 and consisted of 5,657 pieces that included vehicle door locks, hinges, powered mirrors, steering wheel switches, headlights and taillights, grills, rear bumpers, and paint kits. CBP officers suspected the auto parts to be counterfeit and detained them.

Officers consulted with CBP’s automotive experts at the agency’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise who worked with trademark holders and confirmed on July 7 that the automotive parts were counterfeit. Officers completed the seizure on July 14. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the automotive parts is $295,052.

“Unscrupulous repair shops and greedy internet vendors that value profits over safety place motorists in severe peril,” said Keith Fleming, CBP’s Acting Director of Field Operations in Baltimore. “Customs and Border Protection officers will continue to intercept counterfeited or pirated goods because we want consumers to be confident in knowing that the products that they purchase are safe for themselves and their families.”

CBP encourages consumers to protect themselves and their families by always purchasing safe, authentic goods from reputable vendors.

CBP protects businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement program. Importation of counterfeit merchandise can cause significant revenue loss, damage the U.S. economy, and threaten the health and safety of the American people.

On a typical day in 2020, CBP officers seized $3.6 million worth of products with Intellectual Property Rights violations. Learn more about what CBP did during “A Typical Day” in 2020.

Read CBP’s Intellectual Property Seizure Report for Fiscal Year 2019 for more IPR stats and analysis. Fiscal Year 2019 is CBP’s most current completed IPR report.

CBP’s border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations.  Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders. Learn more about CBP at www.CBP.gov.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office on Twitter at @DFOBaltimore and on Instagram at @dfobaltimore for breaking news, current events, human-interest stories and photos.