Bureau of Customs (BoC) seized millions of worth of smuggled face shields and face masks in a storage facility in Tondo.
The BoC agents inspected the facility which also contained Intellectual Property (IP)-infringing items such as bags with labels “Louis Vuitton,” “Gucci,” and “Channel.
They also found illegal face shields, face masks, fake medicines, and fake soaps estimated to be worth P100 million inside the warehouse.
“The Bureau of Customs remains steadfast in preventing the proliferation of counterfeit and unauthorized goods in the country as well as safeguarding public welfare under the guidance of Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero,” the Bureau of Customs said in a statement.
Among the face masks seized was the AIDELAI™ brand which is a prohibited product as per Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory No. 2021-0011.
“The FDA verified through post-marketing surveillance that the above mentioned medical device product is not notified and no corresponding Product Notification Certificate has been issued. Pursuant to the Republic Act No. 9711, otherwise known as the “Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009”, the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising, or sponsorship of health products without the proper authorization is prohibited,” the advisory said.
Also read: Face mask, face shield not enough protection in crowded areas – DOH
Millions worth of smuggled face shields, face masks seized in Tondo
Since AIDELAI disposable face mask has not gone through the evaluation process of the FDA, the agency cannot assure its quality and safety.
“All concerned establishments are warned not to distribute, advertise, or sell the said violative medical device product until the Product Notification Certificate is issued, otherwise, regulatory actions and sanctions shall be strictly pursued. Always check if a product has been notified with the FDA before purchasing it by making use of the embedded Search feature of the FDA website accessible at www.fda.gov.ph. You may also look for the FDA Registration number on the product label in the form of CMDN-xxx,” it said.
In December 2020, the government ordered the wearing of a face shield in public places, in addition to the face mask, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.