Millions of Counterfeit Masks Flooded U.S. Customs Facilities Last Year

02/04/2021

|

Yuka Hayashi | WSJ

WASHINGTON—U.S. Customs agents seized nearly 13 million counterfeit face masks in the 12 months that ended Sept. 30, according to a report set for release Thursday, as the Covid-19 pandemic spurred demand for protective equipment.

Agents also confiscated 177,000 test kits prohibited by the Food and Drug Administration and 38,000 chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine tablets that were barred by the FDA, the report said.

Other items intercepted included nearly 37,000 so-called antivirus lanyards touted to prevent Covid-19 infection and which contain substances prohibited by the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in an annual report on trade and travel set for release Thursday.

To read the full article by the WSJ, please click here