Criminals are trying to sell fake COVID-19 vaccines to desperate governments and citizens, threatening trust in the real health care supply chain.
More than $32 million worth of fake Viagra pills, knockoff Air Jordans and other counterfeit products were found in shipments arriving from China, authorities said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the ports of entry remain watchful of fraudulent imports that take advantage of Americans during the COVID-19 crisis.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Chicago O’Hare airport international mail facility find more counterfeit coronavirus test kits in parcel shipments from the U.K.
“The American public should be aware of bogus home testing kits for sale either online or in informal direct to consumer settings,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.
The fake Oral-B toothbrush heads, which arrived at Philadelphia airport from Turkey, were likely made in “unsanitary facilities with substandard materials,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at International Falls, Minnesota, discovered the illegal product in two 40-foot containers from China.
Customs brokers and express carriers will take “a more active role in monitoring, detecting and preventing trafficking in counterfeit and pirated goods,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said.
Shipments of counterfeit driver’s licenses and blank card stock were discovered and seized by Customs and Border Protection officers at Louisville and Memphis mail facilities.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Philadelphia discovered the counterfeit rings potentially valued at $562,000, if genuine, in an express shipment manifested as a “box” valued at $14.
Battery Council International, which represents U.S. lead acid battery manufacturers, praised the removal of the potentially unsafe products from the supply chain.
Customs and Border Protection officers said the counterfeit footwear, which was recently seized at the L.A./Long Beach seaport complex, was mis-declared as “napkins.”
With their vast knowledge of imports, customs brokers see themselves playing an important role in the battle against counterfeit goods.
Manufacturing supply chains must deal with counterfeit parts. One company is hoping that its blockchain-based tracking solution can help solve that while also providing transparency in the freight supply chain.
Is there a way to protect consumers in the multi-billion dollar counterfeiting black market?
