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Counterfeit Pill Smuggling Ring Busted
Three Athens, Texas residents, Wanda Hollis, 63, Tom Giddens, 57, and Catherine Nix, 41, have been charged with federal crimes related to their alleged smuggling of imitation, unapproved, and misbranded prescription drugs from China.
According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to smuggle at least 30 known shipments, totaling approximately 100,000 pills, from China to Texas. The shipments contained bogus imitations of Xanax, Valium, sibutramine, Cialis, Viagra and Stilnox, which is marketed in the United States as Ambien.
The indictment alleges that the defendants attempted to conceal their smuggling by using shipping labels that concealed the contents of their shipments, including customs declarations falsely describing the contents as ‘gifts’ or ‘toys’ with low declared monetary values, and by using multiple addresses in an effort to reduce the likelihood of seizures by U.S. Customs authorities.
The investigation was conducted by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John W.M. Claud of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
The defendants face serious charges, including conspiracy to smuggle merchandise into the United States, causing the introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead, smuggling, and tampering with a witness.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The public is reminded that the smuggling and sale of counterfeit prescription drugs puts the public’s health and safety at risk. Consumers should know that the drugs they are buying are what they purported to be and not misbranded to look like name-brand products that could ultimately do them more harm than good.
RELATED: Mexican National Sentenced to Over 3 Years for Fentanyl Pill Smuggling
RELATED: Galva Woman Sentenced to Over 11 Years for Fentanyl Distribution
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking,Fraud & Financial Crimes,Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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