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Starting next month, the New Jersey and New York branches of US Customs and Border Protection are planning to launch a program that involves donating seized counterfeit iPods, TVs, DVDs, and clothing items to the poor and homeless.  The program is starting in response to a surplus of seized items as new technologies make detection at custom checkpoints easier.  Counterfeit consumer electronics seized in 2008 were valued at an estimate $23 million.
In the past, these fakes were instead sent to the shredder or incinerator.  However, New York and New Jersey have decided to start the donation program following the success at other regions, including Los Angeles, Detroit and San Francisco.  Trademark owners have been assisting in the implementation of the program by allowing the donation of the items.  They usually only require that the fake logos be removed from the items.

After examination and approval by safety inspectors, the items will be donated to organizations such as World Vision and Samaritan’s Feet.  Many of the items are then distributed to the poor in third world countries, such as India, Vietnam, and Cambodia. 

Read: [NJ.com]