Thousands of Fake Hoverboards Seized in Southern California
Los Angeles Sheriff’s investigators seized thousands of counterfeit hoverboards worth about $1.2 million in the Los Angeles area. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, deputies found anywhere between 2,500 and 3,000 of the fake hoverboards in a building in the 10000 block of Pioneer Boulevard in the city of Santa Fe Springs. One person was briefly detained during the raid, but was later released. The owner of the company was not at the location, police said.
One of Several Raids
Investigators made the move after Illinois-based Underwriters Laboratory (UL) contacted investigators with the sheriff’s Counterfeit and Piracy Enforcement Team to alert them about sales of the fake toys. Police said the counterfeit hoverboards had fake labels from UL, which tests and certifies products for safety.
The raid was similar to one in April 2016 in the City of Industry in which sheriff’s investigators seized about 4,000 hoverboards worth $1.5 million. Those fake hoverboards also bore bogus UL labels. Tens of thousands of fake hoverboards were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from local ports and elsewhere across the region in the months leading up to December 2015, according to media reports. Officials say the investigation is ongoing.
Danger of Hoverboards
Hoverboards have made popular birthday and Christmas gifts. But they have also raised concerns over the last year or so because there have been a number of incidents in the United States and elsewhere involving hoverboards that catch fire or explode. One common reason why hoverboard fires and explosions occur is because the products are poorly manufactured or the lithium-ion batteries that power these gadgets are of poor quality.
Fires or explosions could also occur when the batteries for the hoverboards are overcharged. This could well be because these products are not properly regulated. Of course, fake hoverboards that are not UL-certified could be at a greater risk of exploding or catching fire due to substandard components. Also, a number of batteries we see in hoverboards are not exactly knockoffs, but mass-manufactured cells that lack quality control. These products can be dangerous as well.
If you have been injured by a defective hoverboard or faulty battery, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your losses including medical bills, lost wages, hospitalization, permanent injuries such as scarring or disfigurement, pain and suffering and mental anguish. Injured victims would also be well advised to contact experienced Los Angeles hoverboard injury attorneys who will fight for their rights and help them seek and obtain fair compensation for all their losses.