Authorities are sounding the alarm after seizing thousands of dollars worth of counterfeit items in the Lehigh Valley.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers are warning consumers about "serious health threats posed by knockoff cosmetics" after officers recently seized several shipments of counterfeit brand name anti-aging facial cream in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
According to officials on Feb. 26, CBP officers separately seized 50 boxes of counterfeit SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 anti-aging cream being shipped to an address in Allentown and 50 boxes of counterfeit Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum cream being shipped to an address in Whitehall. Both parcels were shipped from Hong Kong and were valued at $7,750 and $5,400, respectively, had the facial creams been real.
Stream Philadelphia News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC10.
WATCH HEREThat same day, officials said officers also seized 3,000 counterfeit Sharpie felt tip pens that shipped from China to an address in Birdsboro. The pens were valued at $1,530.
Get top local Philly stories delivered to you every morning with NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP Then, a day later, on Feb. 27, CBP officers seized 50 boxes of counterfeit Estee Lauder high-end anti-aging creams shipped from China to an address in Whitehall. This shipment of luxury brand facial cream was valued at $7,000.
Additionally, officials said that on March 1, CBP officers seized 60 boxes of counterfeit Estée Lauder Resilience Multi-Effect Moisturizer Tri-Peptide Face and Neck Crème, which had been shipped from Hong Kong to an address in Allentown. The shipment was valued at $8,400 had the facial cream been real.
Collectively, the shipments of counterfeit skin care were valued at $28,550 had they been genuine, officials said.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection shared that some counterfeit cosmetics contain chemicals known to cause cancer, acne, eczema, and other health issues. Various urine levels and other dangerous substances have also been found in counterfeit cosmetics.
“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 Area port of Philadelphia. “Customs and Border Protection urges you to protect your families by purchasing authentic consumer products from reputable retailers. Consumers might save a buck buying a knockoff product today but may end up paying thousands more in unexpected medical bills tomorrow.”
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
