Rhode Island Woman Convicted of Importing and Selling Fake Prescription Drugs
A Providence, Rhode Island resident has pled guilty on February 8th, 2011, of smuggling erectile dysfunction drugs from the People’s Republic of China falsely labeled as herbal dietary supplements.
Who: R.I. FDA/OCI Task Force, comprised of agents from ICE – Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations Division; U.S. Postal Service Inspectors; Rhode Island State Police; North Providence Police; East Providence Police; and the Rhode Island Department of Attorney General.
When: February 9, 2011; counterfeit drugs sold by Ms. Puello from 2006 through 2008
Where: Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
How: R.I. FDA/OCI Task Force served search warrants on Ms. Puello’s home in Ocotober 2008
Anny L. Puello, 32, owner of JMM LLC, admitted to importing thousands of ED drugs that were shipped from a Chinese supplier, Chengdu Kang Quan Health Product Company (CKQHC), bearing fake shipping labels or invoices. CKQHC falsely described the packages as “Multivitamin Samples” ,”Cinnamon Extract,” or “Ginseng Extract,” on the labels, reports the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations.
Ms. Puello’s company used a machine to package the capsules for distribution and labeled these packages “Made in the USA.” After packaging, JMM LLC distributed the capsules to retailers and distributors in Rhode Island, Connecticut and elsewhere.
In October 2008, the R.I. FDA/OCI Task Force, comprised of agents from ICE – Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations Division; U.S. Postal Service Inspectors; Rhode Island State Police; North Providence Police; East Providence Police; and the Rhode Island Department of Attorney General, executed federal search warrants at Ms. Puello’s business and residence, and seized thousands of pills, pill packaging materials including a labeling machine, computers, and business and shipping documents. Ms. Puello was arrested in June 2010.
Related sources:
“Rhode Island Woman Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Misbranded Drugs from China ,” FDA Office of Criminal Investigations. Februray 9th 2011.