In October 1999, US federal prosecutors in Miami charged several Florida corporations with conspiracy to smuggle and traffic in counterfeit computer components. The operation included equipment that was used to place counterfeit markings on central processing units (or CPUs) of high-end computers.
The substitution of counterfeit computer chips can pose a threat to the health and safety of the public, for example, where such chips are used in aircraft and have an increased possibility of failure.