Toothpaste :: US seizes toxic toothpaste, not sure whether from India or China

US customs officials have seized ‘toxic’ toothpaste that were packed in ‘Made in India’ cartons but are not sure where the toothpaste came from since it also carried the ‘Made in China’ label.

US Customs and Border Protection officers at Charleston seaport on Wednesday seized 1,440 tubes of toothpaste, which were laced with diethylene glycol – an organic compound commonly found in antifreeze toxic to humans and animals, the department said on its website.

The toothpaste had deceptive country of origin markings. Shrink wrap on the outside of the boxes were marked with ‘Made in China’ label and the boxes were marked ‘Made in India’, said the statement.

According to US Customs, exposure of humans or animals to these toxics could cause death through kidney failure.

The CBP officers performed an initial examination of the shipment in July and sent samples of the toothpaste for laboratory examination where they tested positive for DEG, said customs officials.

CBP requires every article of foreign origin entering the United States to be legibly marked in English, the country of origin unless an exception from marking is provided for in the law. This is to inform the ultimate purchaser in the United States of the country in which the imported article was made.

US Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of the nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry.


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