Thousands of syringes containing "vaginal tightening gel" seized at MSP Airport, CBP says
MINNEAPOLIS — Customs officers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport seized a large shipment of unregulated injectable chemicals last week.
The shipment from Hong Kong contained "2,536 pre-filled syringes of vaginal tightening gel," according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and it was headed to a Woodbury residence.
CBP officials say the individually wrapped pink packages have an estimated resale value of more than $19,000.
Instructions on the packaging urge users to wear chemical-resistant gloves when coming into contact with the gel.
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CBP says the gel is in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
"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 of field operations for CBP's Chicago field office. "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."
CBP says of the online pharmacies evaluated by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, just 3% are in compliance with U.S. pharmacy laws and practice standards.
This isn't the only unusual seizure made by CBP officers this year at MSP Airport. In June, officers confiscated 83 pounds of beef from a traveler returning from South Africa.
Last month, officers took a box of giraffe feces from a traveler returning from Kenya who was planning to turn the dung into a necklace.