ICE Announces Woman Pleads Guilty to Importing Illegal Diet Pills from China
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has announced that a Philadelphia woman, Mimi Trieu, pleaded guilty on December 17, 2010 to an 18-count indictment for illegally importing and distributing more than four million diet pills that contained a controlled substance, unapproved drugs, and a possible carcinogen.
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Trieu pleaded guilty to 11 counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to smuggle illegal merchandise, and six counts of distributing Sibutramine, a schedule IV controlled substance.
Woman Imported Pills with Dangerous Substances Unapproved by FDA
Trieu owned Hong Kong Beauty International in Philadelphia, which imported and distributed a variety of beauty products, including diet pills. Trieu imported and sold diet pills between October 2008 and May 2009. Trieu continued to import the pills until March 2010, even after learning that the capsules contained Sibutramine and other dangerous substances, and that the pills did not have approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA issued warnings to consumers that, in addition to the Sibutramine, the drugs contained an anti-seizure medication and a chemical solvent that is considered a possible carcinogen.
Pills Smuggled From China Through the Mail, $500K Forfeiture from Illegal Sales
Trieu was charged with conspiring to smuggle the diet pills from China through the mail, using packages with customs declarations that falsely described the capsules as "gifts" worth minimal amounts. Trieu falsely advertised the illegal diet capsules as containing natural ingredients while failing to disclose to customers that the pills contained Sibutramine and other dangerous ingredients. According to court documents, Trieu allegedly told customers that the drugs were manufactured in Japan, and she told a customer that the FDA warning was not true. The indictment also includes a forfeiture notice, which seeks the forfeiture of about $500,000 in proceeds from illegally selling the drugs.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 10, 2011. If convicted, Trieu faces a maximum sentence of 243 years in prison and a $4.5 million fine.