More than 40,000 counterfeit condoms imported into Puerto Rico from China have been seized by federal authorities who warned that they just won’t work as designed.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Food and Drug Administration made the seizure over five days, said a release from the Border Patrol.
“CBP works with its partners to protect consumers from imported products that threaten the health and safety of consumers,” said Vernon Foret, acting director of field operations for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “Counterfeit and pirated products threaten our economic security and undermine legitimate businesses that invest significant resources into manufacturing safe, quality products,” he added.
The agencies added that the condoms won’t work and the trafficking of them poses a public health threat:
CBP however wants to alert consumers that counterfeit condoms, as well as cosmetics and beauty products, unlike legitimate brands, are not subject to strict quality controls and may contain substances that could lead to long-term health problems. In the past, seized cosmetics have been found to contain hazardous substances including cyanide, arsenic, mercury, lead, urine and rat droppings. Fake condoms will not guard the user against sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.
Ricardo Mayoral, the special agent ICE in charge for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, said, “This illegal activity represents a triple threat as it delivers substandard and often dangerous goods into the economy, rob citizens of good-paying jobs, and generate proceeds that are often funneled back into other criminal enterprises.”
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
