It was a proud moment for the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to announce the seizure of 2,000 counterfeit AirPods from Hong Kong, which they estimated to be worth $398,000 had they been genuine. According to a press release, the counterfeits were destined for Nevada, but the CBP officers were able to intercept the cargo at JFK international airport.
Troy Miller, Director of CBP's New York Field Operations, was all praise for the CBP Officers, who he said protected the Americans from "various dangers on a daily basis" and that "the interception of these counterfeit earbuds is a direct reflection of the vigilance and commitment to mission success by our CBP Officers daily."
The CBP even bragged about the bust and tweeted: "THAT'S NOT AN APPLE."
Quite impressive right? Yes, if only seized merchandise were actually counterfeits. Spoiler alert, they were not.
Feds haven't heard of OnePlus
OnePlus has grown to become one of the most reputable brands and in some markets such as India and China, it is a household name. The company even recently made its foray into the US and made quite a dent for its disruptive products, ranging from smartphones to wireless earphones, which include OnePlus Buds.
Wondering what this has to do with the CBP bust? The pictures shared by the feds say it all.
Unless you've been sitting under the rock, the OnePlus Buds TWS earphones are quite distinctive. The OnePlus Buds are priced at $79 a pop, which means 2,000 of those could be worth $158,000.
OnePlus' bright red branding, its logo on the box, and everything are a major giveaway but looks like CBP decided to ignore those. Sure, the OnePlus Buds might seem identical to the AirPods, but anyone would tell you they are just as unique. The unique-shaped changing case is yet another clue. A little education on the current trends could really go a long way.
Even if no one had heard of OnePlus Buds in the US, the CBP did an excellent job at making the masses aware of the AirPods-alternative from a legit company. And OnePlus did not let this gaffe slide and made the most of it.
In a witty remark, OnePlus replied to the CBP tweet and that's how you make the most of a situation. This incident surely got more people talking, news publication picked it up and definitely worth the delay in the shipment.
To be honest, we're not sure if the CBP is planning to return those NOT-Apple AirPods to OnePlus. Can't wait to see how OnePlus takes advantage of this situation further. For those who are still clueless, here's an 800+ word review of OnePlus Buds.
Oh, and a piece of advice to the CBP. When OnePlus launches that long-overdue OnePlus Watch, don't fall for it.
