CINCINNATI–-On December 6, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati held incoming freight from Hong Kong for inspection. During routine operations, officers discovered a shipment containing 38 shipping boxes, or approximately one pallet, of masks labelled as 3M Disposable Respirators Model 8210. 
Officers noted the information provided with the shipment did not meet the requirements of the 3M Safe Guard product authentication process, and the boxes were labelled as made in the USA although they were being imported through a freight forwarder in Hong Kong. The masks were ultimately determined to be counterfeit by CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise.
“With the current health concerns nationwide, our officers have amplified their efforts to find fake medical supplies that can have potentially deadly consequences,” said Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie. “Counterfeit masks like these are not tested using the same quality control standards as the genuine product, and it is unlikely they will perform in the same manner as the genuine product was designed to do. CBP understands the importance of finding these shipments and preventing them from being sold to unsuspecting consumers.”
The masks were destined to Kingston, Jamaica, and would have had a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $6,688 had they been genuine.
The Centers of Excellence and Expertise (CEE) serve as resources to the broader trade community and to CBP’s U.S. government partners. CBP’s Centers were established to increase uniformity of practices across ports of entry, facilitate the timely resolution of trade compliance issues nationwide, and further strengthen critical agency knowledge on key industry practices.
Follow CBP on Twitter @CBPChicago and @DFOChicago.