ALLENTOWN, Pa. — U.S. Customs agents said they stopped counterfeit goods from entering the Lehigh Valley that may have posed a significant health and safety risk to consumers.
The shipments of cosmetics were destined for Allentown and Whitehall Township, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Office of Public Affairs said Tuesday.
Officers also seized thousands of counterfeit Sharpie pens that were being sent to Birdsboro, a small town southeast of Reading in Berks County.
Collectively, the shipments were valued at $28,550 had the cosmetics been genuine.U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Office of Public Affairs
According to a release:
The seizures began Feb. 26 when officers intercepted 50 boxes of counterfeit SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 anti-aging cream being shipped to an address in Allentown.
Also seized were with 50 boxes of counterfeit Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum cream being shipped to an address in Whitehall.
The next day, Feb. 27, officers also seized 50 boxes of counterfeit Estee Lauder high-end anti-aging creams shipped from China to an address in Whitehall.
On March 1, officers again intercepted counterfeit products when they flagged 60 boxes of counterfeit Estee Lauder Resilience Multi-Effect Moisturizer Tri-Peptide Face and Neck Creme that had been shipped from Hong Kong to an address in Allentown.
Collectively, the shipments were valued at $28,550 had the cosmetics been genuine, the release said.
Dangers of counterfeit cosmetics
Citing the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, officials said some counterfeit cosmetics contain chemicals known to cause cancer, acne, eczema and other health issues.
Various levels of urine and other dangerous substances also have been found in counterfeit cosmetics, the release said.
“The global marketplace has allowed unscrupulous vendors to peddle counterfeit consumer goods as authentic products to unsuspecting consumers," Cleatus P. Hunt Jr., CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Philadelphia, said in the release.
"And profit handsomely while placing consumers’ health and safety at risk.
"Customs and Border Protection urges you to protect your families by purchasing authentic consumer products from reputable retailers.
"Consumers might save a buck buying a knockoff product today but may end up paying thousands more in unexpected medical bills tomorrow.”
How officers spotted the fakes
In each seizure, officers suspected the shipments to be counterfeit, the release said.
The items were seized and product documentation and photographs were sent to experts for analysis. Those experts worked with trademark holders to verify the items were counterfeit.
The CBP urges consumers to visit the Fake Goods Real Dangers website to learn more about the dangers associated with the purchase of counterfeit goods.
The agency said it recorded more than 32,000 seizures last year with an estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price worth over $5.4 billion, had the goods been genuine.
