US, French authorities seize fake electronics

A joint US and French operation led to the seizure of 480 shipments of counterfeit electronic components in a six-month period.

French Customs and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency uncovered fake semiconductors, computer networking equipment, hard drives, and memory cards in Operation Core Systems, which was carried out between November 2012 and April of this year.

The electronics were a threat to the security and economy of both countries, said the agencies in a joint statement, adding that it highlights the benefits of international collaboration in intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement.

"The Core Systems operation gave us a better understanding of the global threat presented by counterfeit critical electronic components, the opportunity to cooperate with the right holders, and to make significant seizures," said François Richard, French Customs Attaché in Washington DC.

"It is the third bilateral IPR enforcement operation organized by our two agencies, and for sure not the last."

Critical electronic components are indispensable to modern government, industrial, business, financial, transportation, education, security and health care infrastructures as well as general consumer use.

Counterfeit components lack manufacturing standards and have much higher failure rates. These faulty products not only create extra costs for businesses and individuals, but can also corrupt the computer networks of critical infrastructure and potentially jeopardise public safety, said the agencies.

In fiscal year 2012, computers and their accessories ranked seventh on CBP’s top 10 list of IPR seizures.