Border Officers Seize Millions of Cheap Chinese Dental Supplies

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized over $450,000 worth of cheap dental supplies shipped from China that were bound for an address in Baltimore.
The supplies violated the U.S. origin labeling regulations. Federal law requires that all imported consumer goods display a clear and visible country of origin marking.
The purpose of these markings is to inform U.S. consumers about where imported products are made and to support the enforcement of trade laws that are applied based on the country of origin.
The first shipment, seized on August 26, contained nearly 1.8 million dental bibs worth over $36,000, the CBP said in a statement dated Monday. CBP officers seized another shipment, which included almost 2 million prophy angle cups and over 1.6 million dental tray covers, valued at over $419,000, on September 17.
The country of origin should include information on the nation where an item was manufactured, produced, or grown before entering the United States.
Federal law states that the markings must be clear and visibly located on the product. They must be legible, permanent and in English.
“Consumers have the right, under U.S. law, to know where the products they are purchasing are sourced, including materials used to make those products. Omitting country of origin markings deprives American consumers of that right to choose how they spend their hard-earned money and who profits from their spending,” said Mark Laria, CBP’s area port director for the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News, Va.
“Customs and Border Protection officers inspect imports every day and enforce a variety of laws that protect American consumers’ rights and safety and the vitality of our nation’s economy.”
The CBP has the authority to detain, seize, forfeit and even destroy imported goods if they are found to bear counterfeit trademarks or copyrights. The law also applies to intellectual property rights.
Most imported products must be marked with their country of origin, unless they are specifically exempt. Some items that undergo substantial transformation in the U.S. before sale may not require origin marking.
Certain products, like textiles or cars, also have specific marking rules based on their industry standards and trade agreements. Importers who fail to comply with those marking requirements may face penalties, including fines or the detention of goods until corrections have been made.
The CBP inspects international travelers and cargo, targeting illegal narcotics, undeclared currency, weapons, counterfeit goods, banned agricultural products, invasive species, and other unlawful items that could threaten public health, U.S. businesses, and the nation’s security and economic well-being.
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