#Tens of thousands of fake N95 masks seized at JFK Airport

Federal authorities seized tens of thousands of knock-off N95 masks at JFK airport, officials said Friday.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers first noticed the potentially fake 3M N95 masks last month that arrived from Hong Kong at the NYC airport on Dec. 2 and 8, according to officials.

Federal authorities said Friday they had confirmed the masks were counterfeit and could have put healthcare workers at risk if they made it into hospitals or nursing homes.

In total, CBP officers seized more 144,000 knock-off masks, with an estimate price tag of $158,400, officials said.

“Allowing counterfeits like these to reach the public or our healthcare heroes is a risk we cannot take,” said Troy Miller, the director of CBP’s New York office. 

More than 14 million fake mask have been seized by CBP officers across the country since the start of the pandemic.