Agents seize phony hoverboards at Minnesota-Canada border

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents earlier this month seized nearly $650,000 in counterfeit merchandise coming into Minnesota from Canada, including hundreds of hoverboards.

Field operations officers at the International Falls port of entry found the contraband in a rail container destined for nearby Rainier, agency officials said Wednesday. They seized 1,650 Smart Balance hoverboards and 90 computer motherboards with Bluetooth counterfeit trademark violations. The merchandise has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $645,252, authorities said.

Agency spokesperson Brian King said the shipment was targeted for inspection because of past mechanical problems with hoverboards, which are motorized two-wheeled boards that have been known to catch fire.

"These scooters have been a hot commodity. It's been a consumer protection issue," he said.

The agency said the growth of foreign trade has resulted in unscrupulous companies making billions of dollars in profits from the sale of counterfeit and pirated goods. U.S. companies can register trademarks and copyrights with the CBP, as Bluetooth had done, King said. That helps customs officials and import specialists to identify merchandise that violates U.S. law.

"We see a lot of those goods out of Asian markets," King said.