Delaware CBP officers seize over $100k in unmanifested Apple products destined to China

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized over $100,000 in Apple products in New Castle, Del., on August 26 that were being shipped to China.

The shipment included 469 new Apple products, including 168 Apple iPads, 59 Apple Watch Ultras, and 242 Apple AirPods with a combined domestic value of $103.016.

CBP officers discovered the new Apple products in an export air delivery parcel being shipped from Newport, Del. The parcel was manifested as “iPhone return for repair,” with a declared value of $3,000.

The shipment of undeclared and undervalued products violated United States export laws. Exports must include a complete manifest and a truthful value declaration to ensure that all exports comply with applicable laws. CBP officers seized the Apple products.

“Mismanifesting merchandise in an export parcel raises serious concern for Customs and Border Protection officers in that the parcels may contain illicit items, such as dangerous drugs, unpermitted firearms, or criminal monetary proceeds,” said Erik Kelling, CBP’s Port Director for the Port of Wilmington, Del. “CBP’s outbound enforcement mission is vital to disrupting transnational organized crime that threatens U.S. security interests at and beyond our nation’s borders.”

CBP's border security mission is led at our nation’s Ports of Entry by CBP officers and agriculture specialists from the Office of Field Operations. CBP screens international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.