Baltimore Border Protection agents seize 1,000 counterfeit solar panels from China
The products were destined for a Denver address
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized a shipment in Baltimore containing about 1,000 counterfeit solar panels from China, the agency said Thursday.
CBP officers detained the shipment Sept. 23 and submitted documentation and photos of the solar panels to the agency’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise for Electronics to verify their authenticity.
Counterfeit Solar Panels (cbp.gov)
On Oct. 27, import specialists determined that ELT markings, which prove a product’s compliance to North American performance and safety standards, had been applied without the trademark owner’s authorization and that the solar panels had not been certified.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Maryland Port Administration (maryland.gov)
CBP officers seized the solar panels on Nov. 9. The products were destined for a Denver address and would have been worth about $275,000 if authentic.
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CBP said counterfeit solar panels pose risks to consumers given they are substandard parts that may lead to reduced power or electrocution or fire hazard risks.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Intertek ETL (cbp.gov)
"The fact that these solar panels displayed a counterfeit safety certification marking presented a very real and a very serious concern to the health and safety of American consumers, and so it was a great interception by our dedicated Customs and Border Protection officers," said Marc Calixte, CBP’s acting area port director for the Port of Baltimore.
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Fox News has reached out to CBP seeking additional comment on the safety hazards of counterfeit items.