Trouble was afoot at the US border last month, with Customs and Border Protection seizing two separate shipments of counterfeit socks in the span of just a fortnight.
A total of 284,273 pairs of fake Hugh Ugoli-branded diabetic socks were intercepted in Norfolk, Virginia, across two shipments from Turkey. The socks, which are non-elastic, are designed to reduce pressure and swelling, eliminate uncomfortable friction, and keep feet dry.
The shonky socks are serious business, said Mark Laria, Customs and Border Protection’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News, as substandard manufacturing can endanger diabetic patients’ health and well-being.
“Diabetic socks are an unusual product to counterfeit, but Customs and Border Protection officers realise that bad actors will counterfeit anything that lines their greedy pockets with illicit proceeds, regardless of any potential harm their products will cause their customers.
“We remain committed to intercepting counterfeit and potentially dangerous consumer goods, and we strongly encourage consumers to protect themselves and their families by purchasing goods only from reputable vendors,” he said.
It’s a good thing the counterfeits were seized before anyone bought them – now the smugglers themselves just need to be brought to heel.
