The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced the owner and operator of Candy Color Lenses — a major online retailer of colored contact lenses in the U.S. — has plead guilty to running an international operation importing counterfeit and misbranded contact lenses from suppliers in Asia and then selling them over the internet without a prescription to tens of thousands of customers around the country.
Dmitriy V. Melnik, of Las Vegas, reportedly plead guilty before U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan of the District of Nevada to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and to introduce into interstate commerce misbranded devices.
According to the plea agreement, Melnik reportedly imported large quantities of colored contact lenses from the People’s Republic of China and South Korea that he knew were counterfeit and/or unauthorized by the FDA for sale in the United States. Melnik reportedly sold "authentic" contact lenses to tens of thousands of customers around the United States without a prescription, adequate directions for use and adequate warnings. After purchasing the contact lenses, many customers reportedly complained directly to Melnik about the quality of the contact lenses and questioned Melnik about whether the contact lenses were genuine and FDA approved, according to the plea agreement. Melnik reportedly admitted that some of the contact lenses he sold were tested and found to be contaminated with potentially hazardous bacteria.
The prosecution is reportedly the result of an ongoing multiagency effort to combat counterfeit, illegally imported and unapproved contact lenses called Operation Double Vision.
Click here to read the full press release.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice