A federal judge has ordered Denver-based Zen Magnets to recall its BB-size magnetic spheres and offer refunds to customers.

U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello on Tuesday also ordered the company to destroy any remaining magnetic spheres in its inventory, making permanent a 2015 preliminary injunction on their sale.

Zen Magnets purchased about 917,000 of the small magnetic spheres from a New Jersey company shortly before the manufacturer agreed to recall the magnets. Arguello ruled Tuesday that Zen Magnets violated the Consumer Product Safety Act when it later resold the magnets, according to a news release.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission maintains the magnets are dangerous, citing nearly 3,000 incidents of children swallowing the 5-millimeter balls during a five-year period from 2009 through 2013. Some of the accidents required emergency surgery because if two or more balls are swallowed, they can bind intestinal tissue together.

“We are pleased that the District Court recognized that putting a dangerous consumer product in a different box and calling it a different name does not permit a company to circumvent a recall,” said Benjamin C. Mizer, principal deputy assistant attorney general, in a statement.

Zen owner Shihan Qu said Wednesday the company will abide by the court’s ruling, even though it stands by its belief that magnet spheres “only cause injury if misused,” making them different from other types of products recalled.

“Though we respectfully disagree that Zen has violated a provision of the CPSA regarding a prior recall, we accept that the court has made its ruling,” Qu said in a statement.

Qu told The Associated Press on Wednesday he might have to declare bankruptcy.

Emilie Rusch: 303-954-2457, erusch@denverpost.com or @emilierusch