CBP officers warn counterfeit Covid-19 products still being sold in the U.S.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A year into the pandemic, counterfeit COVID-19 products are still coming into the United States. Customs and Border Protection officers are offering tips for consumers to stay safe.

Shipments of counterfeit Covid-19 products surged at the start of the pandemic. In one seizure in April, CBP officers seized more than 2,200 unlabeled counterfeit sanitizer products and 1,000 unlabeled and unmarked masks at the Bridge of the Americas. Officers say the surge has slowed down, but counterfeit products are still out there. Officers have seized counterfeit masks, sanitizer products, bleach and thermometers. 

The products might provide a false sense of security too. While some disinfectant products might contain 97% alcohol content, counterfeit versions may only contain 7%, according to Chief CBP Officer Adriana Carranza.

While some found in the El Paso region have been intended for local resale, other shipments have been directed to businesses or medical facilities across the country.

“Let’s say a business, daycare center or restaurant purchases these products to clean and sanitize their business, feeling confident that they are doing the best thing by sanitizing with bleach or Clorox or hand sanitizer,” Carranza said. “In reality, they're not. It gives a false sense of security when they're using these products to keep their, let's say their restaurant, safe when in reality it’s not helping them at all.” 

Consumers are advised to buy PPE and other medical supplies from trusted retailers, and to be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true.

“I would suggest not purchasing these items out of somebody’s trunk perhaps, or somebody that’s reselling them out of a parking lot because there's a reason for it,” Carranza said. “CBP officers are able to identify them because they are very detail-oriented and they can tell when a label perhaps isn't quite right, a little blurry, maybe looks like a sticker. But the average consumer may not recognize this and that poses a great risk to the people who are buying these products.”