Tens of thousands of PS3s were seized by customs officers last week in the Netherlands as part of an ongoing contentious court battle between LG and Sony, the Guardian reports.
A ruling by the civil court of justice in the Hague surrounding patents related to the playback of Blu-Ray discs means that all new PS3s have to be confiscated as they arrive in Europe for at least the next ten days, according to the report.
The Guardian reports that Sony usually has two to three weeks' worth of the consoles in stock across the continent, so the impact of the seizures may not be felt until next month.
Both companies have the right to dispute the ruling. LG could ask for the seizures to be extended while Sony could ask for the ban to be lifted.
If Sony is found to have infringed on LG's patents, it could cost the company hundreds of millions in compensation.
We have reached out to Sony for comment, but the company already told The Guardian that they are looking into the matter. LG declined to comment.
European customs ordered to seize PlayStation shipments in legal dispute