BALTIMORE — Federal agents have seized a shipment of an unapproved coronavirus medicine at a port in Pennsylvania.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release Monday that officers at the Port of Harrisburg seized a shipment of 1,200 Linhua Qingwen capsules from Hong Kong on Tuesday. The parcel was being shipped to an address in Union County, Pennsylvania.
Officials said the capsules are being used to treat some COVID-19 patients but that their effectiveness is unknown and they are not approved for use in the United States.
Officers working at ports within the Baltimore Field Office region have completed 18 seizures of counterfeit or unapproved COVID-19 equipment and medicines since March 23, authorities said. The seizures included nearly 2,500 pharmaceutical tablets and capsules, more than 1,350 test kits, and nearly 400 N95 respirator masks.
