In December 2020, the image provided by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shows members of Homeland Security Investigations in El Paso and US Customs and Border Protection officials working during a seizure of counterfeit N95 surgical masks at a cargo facility of the Port of El Paso in El Paso, Texas.
ICE via AP
The Department of Homeland Security announced on Wednesday that it had seized more than 11 million counterfeit 3M N95 respiratory masks that were aimed at frontline health workers.
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said at a news conference that the seizures had been made in recent weeks, including hundreds of thousands of masks discovered in a warehouse on the east coast during operations on Wednesday.
Mayorkas said homeland security agents have been investigating cases and have served search warrants in five U.S. states in the past two weeks. More raids, he said, are expected in the coming weeks.
The raids were conducted as part of Operation Stolen Promise, launched in April by Homeland Security and government and private sector partners to investigate Covid-19 fraud.
“We are at a vulnerable time, of course, with the pandemic costing so many lives and causing so much damage,” said Mayorkas. “And that individuals, criminals, exploit our vulnerabilities for a quick buck is something that we will continue to pursue aggressively.”
Mayorkas noted that the initial clues to the investigation came from 3M, which reported that suspected counterfeit masks were being purchased for healthcare professionals and first responders.
“This collaboration helped prevent millions of counterfeit respirators from reaching frontline workers,” said Kevin Rhodes, deputy general counsel at 3M, in a statement. “We are committed to fighting the pandemic from all angles – making the necessary PPE, working to prevent counterfeiting and helping to ensure that the N95 gets to where it is most needed.”
DHS officials declined to identify where the raids took place, saying they cannot comment on an ongoing investigation. Criminal charges are coming, they said. DHS said it had notified about 6,000 suspected victims of fraud in at least 12 states, including hospitals, medical facilities and others who may have purchased medical masks from what Mayorkas described as a “criminal company”.