U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Los Angeles International Airport on March 12 seized a package of fake novel coronavirus test kits arriving from the U.K., the CBP said in a statement.
The agency discovered six bags of vials labeled "Purified Water Vials" with a declared value of $196.81. Upon examination, the vials were found to be filled with a white liquid and labeled "Corona Virus 2019nconv (COVID-19)" and "Virus1 Test Kit." CBP turned the package over to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for analysis.
"Protecting the health and safety of the American people is a top priority for CBP," Carlos Martel, director of field operations in Los Angeles, said in the statement. "This significant interception, at a time when the U.S. is in the midst of a national emergency, demonstrates our CBP officers' vigilance and commitment to ensure dangerous goods are intercepted and not a threat to our communities and our people."
