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A week-long federal operation resulted in over $3.53 million worth of counterfeit medications being seized in Cincinnati, Ohio. By the end of the operation, agents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized hundreds of boxes containing a total of 54,843 counterfeit and unapproved medications.
Among the medications that were seized in the operation were shipments containing counterfeit Ozempic, Semaglutide, Retatrutide, and Tirzepatide injections. A total of 16,740 injectables of counterfeit pre-filled medicated pens were seized.
“Ozempic is FDA-approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, however the injectable is not FDA-approved in the treatment of weight loss,” CBP said in a statement announcing the results of the operation.
Also seized during the sting were Botox, Juvederm, dermal fillers, erectile dysfunction medication, contact lenses, and other FDA prohibited items. The pharmaceuticals originated in many different countries with the most coming from Hong Kong followed by China, Colombia and Korea. 40 of the 50 states in America, plus Washington D.C., were listed as the final destinations for the counterfeit drugs. A majority of the shipments were destined for Texas, Florida. Georgia, Colorado, California and New York.
“These drugs can be expensive and hard to acquire in many locations, but CBP urges consumers to only purchase these medications from reputable sources. Cheap prices are not always the safest, especially when it comes to your health and well-being,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director Field Operations-Chicago.
Cincinnati CBP seized $3.5 million in counterfeit pharmahttps://t.co/kZYuSK3Wvn pic.twitter.com/8dCf9bPvZQ
— JPatton (@JPattonSecurity) August 7, 2025
U.S. Customs and Border Protection points out that questionable shipments of medications being imported into the U.S. contain several health risks, one being the unknown ingredients. “There is no guarantee the ingredients are not dangerous when purchasing from unapproved sources online,” the CBP warns.
The job of a CBP officer goes beyond land borders and airports. CBS News went behind the scenes to take a look at the rarely seen U.S. customs screening process for drugs and counterfeits within mail facilities. The sale of counterfeit goods is estimated to cost the global… pic.twitter.com/GJXPYw7TYi
— CBP (@CBP) July 24, 2025
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