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US Customs won’t release seized OnePlus Buds, say they violate Apple trademarks
June 07, 2025
Updated, June 12, 2025 (04:23 PM ET):A story that seemed at first like a silly mistake involving US customs just got weirder. In an official statement, the United States Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) confirmed that it will not release the seized OnePlus Buds. It says that it appears OnePlus’ true wireless earbuds violate Apple’s trademarks connected to its industry-defining AirPods.
Here is the full statement delivered toAndroid Authority:
It looks like OnePlus has a pretty big problem on its hands. We have not received any comment yet from the company.
Original article, August 15, 2025 (02:13 AM ET):We’ve seen numerous takes on true wireless earbuds in recent years, following in the footsteps of Apple’s own AirPods. Some companies have aped the look of Apple’s product a little too closely, and it looks like this may have had unintended consequences for OnePlus and itsOnePlus Buds.
The US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) issued apress releaselate last week, announcing that it seized 2,000 counterfeit Apple AirPods at JFK Airport in New York City. The shipment was inbound from Hong Kong and the authority said they were valued at $398,000 “had they been genuine” AirPods.
The only problem is that images attached to the CBP announcement and subsequent tweet show that the seized earbuds are in fact OnePlus Buds, which are legitimate true wireless earbuds. Check out the announcement and manufacturer’s reaction below.
OnePlus buds seized
It’s a shame that the CBP didn’t realize OnePlus Buds were a legitimate product from a prominent brand, as a few seconds of Googling would’ve showed. But it perhaps highlightsthe issue of AirPod clones, suggesting that the average consumer might not be able to tell the difference when comparing the actual products side-by-side.
OnePlus isn’t the only guilty party in this regard, as several other prominent brands also offer true wireless earbuds that look very similar to Apple’s AirPods. So here’s hoping we see more original designs from all these companies in the future.
We’ve contacted the CBP for comment regarding the seizure, while also contacting OnePlus to find out more. We’ll update the article if/when the two get back to us.
Next:Apple AirPods Pro review — Third time really is the charm
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