Over 2,500 syringes filled with dangerous “vaginal tightening gel,” coming from Hong Kong, were seized at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers say they intercepted the shipment, which was headed to a Woodbury, Minnesota, residential address. It contained commercial quantities of the gel in injectables, CBP said. If sold, their total domestic value would have reportedly exceeded $19,000.
The items, wrapped in pink packaging, raised concerns among authorities due to the need for handling with chemical-resistant gloves, especially if people were to use them.
“This dangerous shipment is another example of someone using unregulated gels to prey on unknowing consumers with false promises,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations-Chicago Field Office, in a press release. “Not knowing what you are inserting in your body can be deadly, and consumers believe they are getting a discount when in fact they are purchasing an inferior product with unapproved ingredients.”
The Food and Drug Administration warns people to be cautious with medications bought online, as some may not meet safety standards, especially those from unregulated foreign companies. They also might contain harmful substances, even if their packaging looks real.
CBP says they will continue to investigate this case and “take action against counterfeit and misclassified goods that pose a threat to our economy and our citizens,” as medication sold in the U.S. must conform to the FDA’s guidelines.
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