CBP seized 1,043 radiators and 420 dehumidifiers in Norfolk on Aug. 25 over false import statements. The radiators were declared at $5.54 each but appraised at about $105; CBP determined the listed importers were identity-fraud victims, and probes continue.
Both shipments came from China. The radiators, bound for Cheyenne, Wyoming, were declared at $5,775 total; CBP trade specialists appraised them at $110,176. The dehumidifiers, headed to Artesia, California, were declared at $10,080 and appraised at $181,847.
CBP said officers spotted discrepancies in entry and identification documents in mid-August, detained the freight and sought more information from brokers before contacting the named importers. Both said they had never ordered commercial goods or run importing businesses. The seizure cited false statements on customs entries; CBP's announcement did not allege trademark infringement, and no counterfeiting violation was charged.
