Federal officers at the Houston Seaport seized counterfeit N95 respirator masks that would be worth $350,000 if they had been legitimate products from 3M, the parent company of Top 40 promo products supplier 3M/Promotional Markets (asi/91240) and the patent-holding manufacturer of authentic N95 masks.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers found the 171,460 masks on an incoming shipment on April 7, according to an April 15 announcement on the seizure. The bogus masks originated from China and were bound for White Plains, NY.

This shipment arrived at the Houston Seaport and contained over 170,000 fake N95 respirator face masks.

Examining the shipment, officers saw the boxes with the masks bore the logo of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Further investigation revealed the shipment wasn’t licensed and the masks were fake.

N95 masks help prevent the spread of COVID-19. They have been in high demand during the pandemic. Counterfeiters have tried to capitalize. In the first three months of 2021, CBP has seized 18 million counterfeit face masks.  For comparison, CBP seized more than 12 million counterfeit face masks in all of 2020 and only 1,300 counterfeit face masks in 2019.

3M has been working with law enforcement authorities to combat mask fraud. In February, for instance, authorities announced that 3M provided important information that helped lead to the seizure of some 11 million counterfeit N95 masks. 3M recently sued a Florida company, alleging mask fraud.