JACKSON, MISS – On Monday, May 17, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers (CBPOs) in Jackson, MS selected for random inspection a package arriving from Turkey. The package was manifested as “Kitchen ornament and Turkish delight set” with a consignee in MS. Upon physical inspection, CBPOs found the shipment to contain 120 boxes (1,440 packets) of three different kinds of honey that had not been manifested. CBPOs detained the shipment and contacted FDA for guidance. FDA Investigators advised the product may contain hidden drug ingredients and is subject to an import alert. CBPOs concurred as the honey products had labels claiming “you are harder now,” and seemed to be promoting sexual enhancement, weight loss, and body building. These products are often represented as being “all natural”. They were also found not to contain any honey at all, but mainly corn syrup. According to the website of one of the products, “Miracle Honey is an instant source of energy and enhancement of male vitality . . . Our research and development team has developed the Miracle Honey blend to heal sexual impotence and sterility, as well as provide a vast energy source.”
“If a product is as safe and legitimate as the manufacturer claims, why was it incorrectly manifested as a dessert and kitchen set?” Said Vicksburg/Jackson Port Director Michael Morris. “These manufacturers know their products are mislabeled, adulterated, and contain harmful hidden drugs and chemicals. CBPOs work closely with FDA to enforce food and drug import regulations to keep these types of potentially harmful products from entering our commercial markets.”
The shipment was seized on May 19, 2021 in violation of the United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act which prohibits the introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce, or the causing thereof, of any food, drug, device, tobacco product, or cosmetic that is adulterated or misbranded and 19 USC 1497 Failure to Declare. Samples were sent to Laboratory Scientific Services for additional analysis and support.
This seizure took place within the Area Port of Mobile, which covers ports of entry throughout the states of Alabama and Mississippi and falls under CBP’s New Orleans Field Office. The New Orleans Field Office includes ports in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee.