Customs officials yesterday said they on Monday seized 7,350 Chinese-made masks falsely labeled as “Made in Taiwan.”
Taipei Customs said it seizes falsely labeled masks imported from China on an almost daily basis, but Monday’s seizure — which comprised 13 separate shipments — was its largest single-day seizure of the masks to date.
The office said it has stepped up checks for counterfeit masks imported through regular mail and courier services since Aug. 1, adding that Monday’s seized shipments all came by courier.
The shipments were also sent with false labeling, it said.
All of the shipments were being sent to individual recipients, rather than companies, but appeared to be ordered for the purpose of resale, the office said.
People have been found to import masks at low cost and sell them at roadside stalls or at night markets, it added.
The Chinese-made masks were labeled as made in Taiwan to mislead consumers, as Taiwanese-made masks are of a higher quality, it said.
Government regulations prohibit the import of foreign-made goods that have been mislabeled to misrepresent the country of manufacture, either through text or representative markings, it said.
Products suspected of contravening the regulations are turned over to the Bureau of Foreign Trade, it added.
If confirmed to have contravened the regulations, importers of the goods who resell them with false labels can be fined up to NT$3 million (US$101,588), it said.
Those who want to import medical-grade masks for use in medical facilities or resale must obtain authorization from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the office said.
Failure to obtain authorization could result in fines under Food and Drug Administration regulations, it said.
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