Man arrested in US with over $30,000 worth of fake Apple products

Police in Florence County, South Carolina, arrested a man carrying counterfeit Apple products. He ended up carrying approximately 30 thousand US dollars (approximately R $ 166 thousand in direct currency conversion) in electronics attributed to the brand.

The prisoner’s name is Umberto Cardinale, he is 37 years old and his arrest was carried out in an interesting way. The man He was stopped by the police while speeding on the interstate highway.When authorities searched the vehicle, per standard procedure, they found several boxes of suspicious items and made arrests.

Photo published by the district governor’s office brings a lot of smartwatch cases and earphonesNot all products are actually similar to the models sold by Apple, but in the image you can clearly see a copy of the AirPods wireless headphones.

Cardinal accused transportation and distribution of counterfeit goods. HE You could face up to five years in prison, in addition to a fine of up to $20,000..

Are counterfeits of Apple products increasing?

Despite being around for several years, Apple’s counterfeit electronics practices are becoming increasingly sophisticated and involving an increasing number of products.

At the end of 2023, a consumer reported receiving a counterfeit iPhone despite purchasing the device from the brand’s website, suggesting that a swap with a fake model occurred during delivery or distribution.

In fact, seizures tend to be larger: a parcel of more than 20,000 devices and packaging was found in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Earlier this year, a group was arrested for stealing iPhones using Apple’s repair system and sending the company fakes instead.