Over 800 Tubes of Counterfeit Toothpaste Confiscated from Chicago Stores

With international trade tightening in the United States, one specific product has been in the spotlight lately: toothpaste.

In fact, according to a Chicago Department of Public Health press release, the Department of Consumer Services has found and confiscated a grand total of 802 tubes of fake and potentially poisonous tooth paste. Aside from the 802 bottles, 362 tubes of the illegal and deadly toothpaste has been found in a Department of Consumer Services (DCS) investigation that latest two weeks and consisted of digging through 248 retail outlets and 22 distributors in Chicago, Ill.

The DCS found a majority, 775 to be exact, of tubes for sale by three vendors at Swap-O-Rama located at 4100 S. Ashland in the city. Tubes of the illegal and possibly dangerous toothpaste were found at the following locations:

(12) New Maxwell Street Market, 500 W. Roosevelt Rd.;
(7) 26th Discount Store, 3510 W. 26th St.;
(6) Happy Dollar, 4035 W. 26th St.; and
(2) Pioneer Food & Liquors, 3959 W. Armitage

DCS inspectors and investigators also cited seven businesses for other violations relating to the illegal toothpaste. Citations included "53 counts of selling toothpaste that wrongly used the "Colgate" trademark, 107 counts for selling toothpaste without listing ingredients in English, and 202 counts for selling toothpaste not approved for distribution in the United States."

Luckily, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported that no major store chains in the US are selling the fake Colgate products. Due to this, DCS has focused their work on discount stores, dollar stores, small markets, and outlet hops. Of the 248 outlets that were inspected, only 12 received citations. However, the citations and the costs were heavy for these stores.

The 12 businesses that were cited were cited for deceptive business practices and portraying false information. If found guilty, each business would be fined up to $2,000 for each offense. Smaller businesses could be ruined for the hefty fines.

Aside from looking into stores, the DCS investigated 22 distributors for the fake toothpaste products.