Feds Seize $100K in Noncompliant Batteries at Peace Bridge

Shipment failed to meet child-safety requirements under Reese's Law

Apr. 11, 2026 at 10:52pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a single hearing aid battery against a pitch-black background, its metallic surface and circular shape creating a stark, gritty aesthetic that conceptually represents the federal crackdown on noncompliant consumer products.Federal agents seized a large shipment of hearing aid batteries that failed to meet child-safety standards, highlighting the ongoing enforcement of consumer product regulations.Buffalo Today

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Western New York seized nearly 350,000 noncompliant hearing aid batteries worth approximately $100,000 at the Peace Bridge warehouse. The batteries failed to meet the child-resistant packaging requirements under Reese's Law, which mandates secure battery compartments to prevent ingestion injuries.

Why it matters

Reese's Law was enacted in 2022 to address the growing public health issue of children ingesting button cell and coin batteries, which can cause severe internal injuries and even death. This seizure highlights the importance of enforcing these new safety standards at U.S. borders to keep dangerous products out of consumers' hands.

The details

On March 26, CBP officers inspected a commercial vehicle carrying the hearing aid batteries and detained the shipment for investigation. After testing by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the batteries were found to violate Reese's Law by lacking the required secure, child-resistant battery compartments.

  • The seizure took place on March 26, 2026 at the Peace Bridge warehouse.
  • The investigation began on February 9, 2026 when CBP officers first inspected the shipment.

The players

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

The federal law enforcement agency responsible for regulating and inspecting goods entering the United States.

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

The independent federal regulatory agency tasked with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with consumer products.

Reese's Law

A federal law enacted in 2022 that mandates child-resistant packaging for products containing button cell or coin batteries to prevent ingestion injuries.

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The takeaway

This seizure demonstrates the importance of enforcing new consumer safety regulations like Reese's Law at U.S. borders to keep dangerous and noncompliant products out of the hands of consumers, especially young children who are at risk of serious injury from ingesting button cell and coin batteries.