$1m in fake LG, Asus phones seized in Philadelphia

Nearly 4,500 counterfeit LG and Asus smartphones have been seized by US Customs and Border Protection in Philadelphia.

Officers seized the first shipment of 2,043 LG phones on July 26, and the second shipment of 1,926 LG and 480 Asus phones on August 9, revealing that both shipments travelled from China through the Dominican Republic before arriving in the US.

Both shipments, if authentic, would have had a manufacturer's suggested retail price of nearly $1m, according to CBP. They were manifested as “cell phones used” and will now be destroyed.

"In addition to substantial theft suffered by the lawful trademark holders, these counterfeit smartphones may also pose a financial security and health threat to American consumers due to the installation of identity theft software on the phones or the potential for counterfeit batteries to overheat and burn consumers," said Casey Durst, CBP director of field operations in Baltimore.