Fake hoverboards: Chicago customs officers seize more than 16,000 counterfeits

Customs officers in Chicago have seized at least 16,000 counterfeit hoverboards they say can pose a serious safety risk.Authorities continue to process more than 42,000 boxes of what they believe to be fake hoverboards. The substandard products – enough to fill two warehouses – were seized in just one week in January. “We were holding two-thirds of an air freight cargo plane with just hoverboards on hold. Two-thirds and then plane after plane after plane for a week,” said James Putman, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.This is the largest seizure of its kind since hoverboards first hit store shelves in the United States. The self-balancing scooters are so expensive that manufacturers – especially in China – have been cutting corners to get them to consumers at a cheaper price. “The batteries do not meet safety standards. The chargers as well,” said William Ferrara, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

http://abc7chicago.com/news/fake-hoverboards-seized-by-customs-officers-in-chicago/1176421/