3 Women Arrested For Allegedly Selling Counterfeit Contact Lenses In Downtown LA
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Three women have been arrested on suspicion of selling counterfeit contact lenses in downtown Los Angeles.
Sulmi Gonzalez-Calderon, 42; Karla Lopez-Meza, 33; and 50-year-old Eulalia Pacharrez, all of Los Angeles, face charges of furnishing prescription drugs without a license after being arrested by the illicit pharmaceutical and counterfeit unit of the LAPD'S commercial crimes division.
Investigators with the California Department of Public Health assisted with the investigation and confirmed that contact lenses are classified as medical devices and should only be sold by licensed medical professionals.
"The purchase of counterfeit products may be hazardous to your health," a statement from the LAPD said. "In many instances counterfeit medical devices and cosmetic materials have been known to cause serious adverse reactions such as infections, facial paralysis, tissue death and blindness."
Counterfeit products are also not bound by the same materials and safety testing standards that legitimate manufacturers must adhere to, the LAPD said.
Police say samples of the seized contact lenses were examined at the scene by the brand manufacturer and deemed counterfeit, in violation of recorded and registered trademarks.
The counterfeit contact lenses were being sold out of stores at three locations in downtown Los Angeles. Investigators also confiscated counterfeit makeup and illegal fireworks, LAPD officials said.
The LAPD says consumers should only buy from authorized medical providers or directly from manufacturers.