$7 million in fake Apple phone chargers seized in Houston

HOUSTON - More than $7 million in counterfeit Apple phone chargers were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday.

Counterfeit phone chargers seized

What we know:

373,000 USB phone chargers with the Apple trademark were found by Port of Houston/Galveston.

Customs and Border Protection and Apple representatives confirmed that the chargers were counterfeit.

7,460 cartons of counterfeit merchandise were found.

CBP says that the manufacturer's suggested retail price was just over $7 million.

What we don't know:

The release did not say where the items came from or where they being shipped.

Counterfeit items in the U.S.

Dig deeper:

CBP says over the last three years, counterfeit items with the highest total MSRP have been jewelry, watches and handbags or wallets.

China and Hong Kong were responsible for 90 percent of the counterfeit items that were seized.

What they're saying:

"Counterfeit activities negatively impact American legitimate jobs and counterfeiters don’t pay taxes. They hurt innovation by stealing intellectual property from registered trademarks and the counterfeits are often produced under unsanitary labor exploitation conditions. Consumers deserve the real deal when spending their hard-earned money on these products," said CBP Acting Area Port Director John Landry.