Federal officials have seized about 10 million counterfeit N95 masks bearing the 3M Co. trademark in recent weeks, officials said today, urging thousands of hospitals and health care facilities in the country to stop using the suspected counterfeit products.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) noted that the counterfeit masks were made in China. The most recent interception occurred on the 17th, when hundreds of thousands of masks were seized from a warehouse at an undisclosed location on the East Coast.
DHS officials said they acted on a tip from 3M, seizing counterfeit products in five U.S. states and launching criminal investigations.
They (counterfeit masks) are extremely dangerous,” Steve Francis, director of the DHS Homeland Security Investigations Unit’s Smart Property Center, said at a press conference. They provide a false sense of security to our front-line first responders and to American consumers.”
Officials allege that grammatical errors or misspellings in the packaging or instructions for use have led to the exposure of the counterfeit products. They have contacted about 6,000 hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities that may have purchased the counterfeit masks, urging them to stop using them and contact DHS immediately.
DHS officials noted that the Department of Homeland Security is working with the Department of Justice to criminally prosecute those involved in the sale of counterfeit masks.
The seizure of the counterfeit masks is part of the Department’s Operation Stolen Promise, a response to fraud and criminal activity related to Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).
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