SANTA TERESA, N.M. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers recently seized a shipment of counterfeit solar panels at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry in New Mexico.
The seizure targeted a shipment of solar panels arriving at the Santa Teresa cargo facility from Vietnam on Monday, July 4 for suspected intellectual property rights infringement, the agency stated in a news release.
A total of 9,072 crystal silicone photocell modules were seized, and Santa Teresa Port Director Tony Hall called the enforcement action “vitally important in safeguarding America’s supply chain.”
“This seizure is the culmination of hard work and ingenuity on display every day by these great officers at our ports of entry,” Hall stated.
According to the agency, the shipment was examined carefully July 15 and declared to be counterfeit by the “rightful trademark owner.” An appraisal conducted four days later determined that the panels, had they been genuine, would have had a manufacturer suggested retail price of slightly more than $1.4 million.
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