EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — Border officers confiscated a large quantity of over-the-counter cold and flu medications, as well also bottles of diluted Clorox, that the driver planned to resell online.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers said the meds and diluted Clorox were hidden in various packages in the back seat of a vehicle returning from Mexico at the Bridge of the Americas on Wednesday in South El Paso.
Officers discovered a total of 4,340 tablets of assorted medication and 30 bottles containing diluted Clorox. The driver, a 51-year-old United States citizen, allegedly said he intended to sell and ship the items to customers in Alaska and other locations.
All products were seized and the man was fined $2,600 pending further investigation.
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Border officials issued a warning to people purchasing medications online.
“Consumers may think they are saving a few dollars by ordering these foreign medications online, but if it has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, they could be further putting their health at risk,” said Hector Mancha, CBP’s El Paso Director of Field Operations.
According to a CBP news release, medications that have been purchased over the internet are subject to approval by the FDA, and shippers must be registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Shipments that fail to be approved can be seized without reimbursement to the consumer. The consumer and exporter may also be subject to further penalties. For more information on prescription drugs and other internet purchases, visit the CBP website.
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