PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials are warning the public to be careful where they buy their products. Earlier this month, CBP officers in Allentown seized four shipments of counterfeit brand-name skin creams and Sharpie pens worth nearly $30,000.
The first international shipments arrived on Feb. 26. CBP officers seized 50 boxes of counterfeit SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 anti-aging cream, and 50 boxes of counterfeit Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum, each valued at $7,750 and $5,400, respectively.
Officers also seized 3,000 counterfeit Sharpie felt-tip pens, valued at $1,530.
The next day, officers seized 50 boxes of counterfeit Estee Lauder high-end anti-aging creams, worth $7,000.
Then on March 1, they found 60 boxes — worth approximately $8,400 — of counterfeit Estee Lauder Resilience Multi-Effect Moisturizer Tri-Peptide Face and Neck Crème.
All of the parcels were shipped from China.
Officials say knockoff skin creams pose a serious health threat to consumers, as some may contain chemicals known to cause cancer, acne, eczema and other health issues.
“The global marketplace has allowed unscrupulous vendors to peddle counterfeit consumer goods as authentic products to unsuspecting consumers, and profit handsomely while placing consumers’ health and safety at risk,” said Cleatus P. Hunt, Jr., CBP’s area port director for the Port of Philadelphia. “Consumers might save a buck buying a knockoff product today but may end up paying thousands more in unexpected medical bills tomorrow.”
Last year, CBP said it reported more than 32,000 seizures worth an estimated $5.4 billion, had the products been genuine.