New Orleans - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of New Orleans seized nearly 130,000 eye shadow sticks that lacked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required ingredients list.
The 10-pallet, 5666 lb. shipment, was manifested as cosmetics and en route to Washington state from Colombia near the end of September.
Upon the shipment’s arrival, a CBP officer examined the shipment and began coordination with the FDA. An FDA Investigator-Import Specialist confirmed that the product was misbranded because it did not have an ingredients declaration. The FDA’s specialist went on to add that the article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801 in that it appears to have a labeling deficiency; its labeling fails to display an ingredients declaration [Misbranding, Section 602(b)].
“American cosmetic users should always know what is in the products they are putting onto their bodies, especially on sensitive areas such as eyelids and lips,” said Terri Edwards, Area Port Director of New Orleans. “If a cosmetic product cannot state what it contains, it’s not entering our country.”
There was a total of 283 boxes in the 10 pallets, with an individual count of 129,805 eyeshadow sticks. Research showed the eyeshadow sticks sell for $26 each.
CBP seized eyeshadow sticks and a seizure notice will be sent to the interested parties.
According to the FDA’ website, cosmetic manufacturers have a legal responsibility for the safety and labeling of their products. FDA takes action against cosmetics on the market that do not comply with the law. CBP coordinates with FDA to verify cosmetics shipments follow U.S. guidelines and do not pose a danger to the consumer.
Since January, CBP has seized 29 shipments of FDA regulated products at the Port of New Orleans, with a total value of over $3.7 million.
More information on FDA requirements for cosmetics can be found at Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients in Cosmetics | FDA
Various data sets on CBP Trade Enforcement can be found at Trade Statistics | U.S. Customs and Border Protection (cbp.gov)
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