SIA Works with U.S. Customs to Combat Counterfeit Semiconductors

by Semiconductor Industry Association

America depends on semiconductors, the tiny chips that enable all electronics.  But like other products, semiconductors can be counterfeited, and these counterfeits can end up in critical consumer, industrial, medical, and military devices, potentially undermining our public safety and national security. SIA is actively working to raise awareness of these threats and to reduce the supply of counterfeit chips.

Last week, representatives from SIA’s Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF) met with officials and agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Los Angeles. Customs agents from the Port of Los Angeles and LAX Airport were briefed on the health and safety risks posed by counterfeit semiconductors and then trained on methods for identifying potentially counterfeit semiconductor shipments.  The training produced a very substantive dialogue with agents on identification techniques and other information that industry can provide to assist in efforts to identify counterfeits at U.S. points of entry.

Following the training, officials from CBP and the ACTF had a very productive meeting to discuss ways that industry and CBP can further coordinate efforts aimed at stemming the flow of counterfeits into the United States.  SIA received positive feedback on a letter sent to CBP in February calling for a joint operation between U.S. Customs and China Customs focused on identifying counterfeit shipments leaving China.  SIA and CBP plan to continue discussions and work toward a potential joint operation over the summer.  Additionally, CBP and the ACTF discussed future locations for additional trainings at ports and airports where higher volumes of counterfeit semiconductors have been discovered.  Additional trainings will be scheduled over the coming months.

Working together and using SIA’s anti-counterfeiting whitantiepaper as a guide, we can win the fight against counterfeit semiconductor products and help ensure the safety and security of technologies that are vital to America’s economic and national security.