U.S. Customs Seizes 77,400 Illegal Cartoon Vapes

U.S. Customs and Border Protections (CBP) officers at O’Hare International Airport this week seized 77,400 Rick and Morty vape pens from China that were destined to a distribution company in Georgia. CBP officers found the popular cartoon characters on the packaging and suspected they violated copyright and trademark laws.

Authorities called Warner Bros. and confirmed the company didn’t license their Rick and Morty copyright for vape pens, according to a press release. CBP Import Specialists determined the shipments of vape pens was infringing upon the “Rick and Morty” copyright. The MSRP for the bootleg pens was valued at $1.55 million.

“Often CBP seizes vape pens because they violate FDA guidelines, but these parcels violate copyright laws which adds to the charges and complexity of the case,” said Shane Campbell, Area Port Director-Chicago. “Counterfeit products are unsafe for consumers, harm the economy, damage the revenue and image of the companies, and could cost American jobs.”