Border Patrol agents seized a shipment of counterfeit socks from Turkey that were destined for Loudoun County, Virginia, that would have been worth $2.6 million if authentic.
Border agents seized more than 165,700 pairs of counterfeit socks that were falsely marketed under the Seal of Cotton, putting the health and safety of people with diabetes at risk, according to the agency. Diabetic socks are specially made without elastic bands to reduce pressure and swelling as well as eliminate any friction that may cause discomfort.
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“Diabetic socks are an unusual product to counterfeit, but Customs and Border Protection officers realize that bad actors will counterfeit anything that lines their greedy pockets with illicit proceeds, regardless of any potential harm their products will cause their customers,” said Mark Laria, a Border Patrol director in Norfolk, Virginia, where the socks were recovered on July 29. “We remain committed to intercepting counterfeit and potentially dangerous consumer goods, and we strongly encourage consumers to protect themselves and their families by purchasing goods only from reputable vendors.”
The Seal of Cotton is licensed and owned by Cotton Incorporated, which evaluates products for cotton quality and content before approving them for the seal. All licensees must obtain permission before manufacturing or distributing products with the seal. However, the company confirmed that the packaging on the counterfeit socks was not authorized, according to CBP.
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It’s not clear in which ways the socks strayed from standard diabetic socks. No one has been charged in the incident, and an investigation is underway.
The debunked scheme is the second time Border Patrol agents have seized a counterfeit sock shipment in the last month, according to the agency. Border officials also recovered another 118,566 pairs of counterfeit cotton diabetic socks on July 12, just two weeks before the latest shipment was seized.
