CHICAGO–U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers recently seized a shipment of Viagra pills arriving from Turkey that violated FDA laws and could prove dangerous to consumers.
On October 4, CBP officers in Chicago seized a shipment that contained 15,000 tablets marked and packaged as Viagra 100mg tablets, and varying brands of honey mixed with Sildenafil. The shipment was shipped by a company in Istanbul, Turkey and was heading to a residence in Michigan. If the pills were real, and approved by the FDA, the MSRP would have been $1,065,000.
The pills were in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), which prohibits the introduction of any food, drug, device, tobacco product, or cosmetic that is adulterated or misbranded. These pills, which were misbranded, were seized and turned over to the FDA Office of Criminal Investigation for further investigation.
“Our Officers are dedicated to identifying and intercepting these types of shipments that could potentially harm our communities,” said Shane Campbell, Port Director-Chicago. “Consumers do not realize the risk they are taking when using prescription drugs from other countries. These non-regulated drugs could cause health concerns or even death."
Unapproved prescriptions may be manufactured using incorrect or harmful ingredients. This medicine is then packaged and labeled to look like the real thing. Counterfeit medicines are unsafe because they may not work and could be harmful.
CBP provides basic import information about admissibility requirements and the clearance process for e-commerce goods and encourages buyers to confirm that their purchases and the importation of those purchases comply with any state and federal import regulations.
CBP conducts operations at ports of entry throughout the United States, and regularly screens arriving international passengers and cargo for narcotics, weapons, and other restricted or prohibited products. CBP strives to serve as the premier law enforcement agency enhancing the Nation’s safety, security, and prosperity through collaboration, innovation, and integration.