Cleveland, OH
Thousands of Black Market Botox Injections Seized by Federal Agents in Ohio
As the desire for fuller lips and younger-looking skin swells in the US, so does the black market for injectable products.
According to a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), two Cincinnati CBP officers seized thousands of unapproved cosmetic injectables such as Botox, Juvéderm, and more during the last week of April and first week of May.
The department said the shipments originated in Bulgaria, Spain, China, Hong Kong and Korea to be distributed throughout the United States. A single shipment of Botox from Hong Kong held 10 vials, or about 1,500 injections.
Cosmetic injectables are used to treat an array of health problems, but are most often used to treat aesthetic concerns such as smoothing wrinkles on the face and pumping up the size of a patient’s lips. A number of different injectable types were seized by CBP officers in Cincinnati, including:
- Botox
- Juvederm
- Meditoxin
- Radiessa
- Dermalax
- Neuramis
- Restylane
- Hutox
- Sculptra
The value of all the seized injectable shipments would have had a combined value of $175,399, according to the release.
“Purchasing unapproved injectables, such as Botox, is a health and safety risk,” said Cincinnati Port director Richard Gillespie. “Cheaper is not always better, especially when it concerns your family’s health and welfare. The officers in Cincinnati diligently work to intercept illegal shipments and ensure safety to the American people.”
Assistant commissioner for import operations, Dan Solis, said the Food and Drug Administration is keeping a sharp eye on illegal injectables.
“The FDA is especially concerned about the illegal importation of injectable prescription medications, as these drugs may pose a significant risk to patients,” Solis said. “Like the drugs seized by our partners at CBP, there is no way to know whether these drugs were made under good manufacturing practice conditions, and sterility of these products are not always assured.”
The department urges anyone who is interested in cosmetic injectables to seek out a licensed medical professional who can assess the product and package quality and monitor patients for potential adverse effects.
Originally published by CityBeat, Scene’s sister paper in Cincinnati.
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Cleveland, OH
Thursday Night Football Open Thread: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns
Hello, good evening and welcome to week 12 of the NFL season.
Tonight, TNF travels to the rust belt for an AFC North matchup. The Pittsburgh Steelers travel west to the exotic realm of…Ohio to take on the Cleveland Browns
Here are the deets, as the cool kids say, about tonight’s game:
Who: Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2) at Cleveland Browns (2-8)
What: Thursday Night Football
Where: Huntington Bank Stadium, Cleveland, OH
When: Thursday November 21, 7:20 pm CDT
Why: Because you can watch Cleveland sit in their wrongness for embracing their longtime quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has played only for the Cleveland Browns
Channel: ABC, NBC (local markets only)
Streaming: Amazon Prime, NFL+ (subscriptions required)
And if you feel like making this game a little extra interesting, here are my picks for tonight’s game, from FanDuel.
Let’s Go Texans!
Cleveland, OH
Steelers fall to Browns, 24-19
Cleveland (3-8) overcame a couple of late turnovers by quarterback Jameis Winston to come away with their second upset win in recent weeks over an AFC North rival. The Browns defeated the Ravens here, 29-24, on Oct. 27.
“I’d like to compliment the Cleveland Browns,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “They brought it tonight. It was a hard-fought game. They made more plays over the course of a 60-minute game. We’ve got to own our portions of it. Particularly early on, it took us too long to warm up to the action. We were penalized some with pre-snap penalties. We weren’t really sharp. We got going. Our guys fought. But it wasn’t enough to secure a victory.”
Winston completed 18 of 27 passes for 219 yards with an interception, while Chubb scored a pair of touchdowns while running for 59 yards on 20 carries.
Russell Wilson was 21 of 28 for 270 yards and a touchdown for the Steelers, who dropped to 1-5-1 in their past six trips to Cleveland and 0-4 on Thursday nights against the Browns on the road.
The Steelers had two promising drives to start the game but came away empty both times despite driving into Cleveland territory.
Wilson was sacked on third-and-3 at the Cleveland 32 by Garrett for an 8-yard loss. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin chose to have Chris Boswell attempt a 58-yard field goal, but Boswell’s attempt went wide right to keep the game scoreless.
The Steelers forced a three-and-out and a Cleveland punt and again drove into Browns territory, this time getting to the 38 where they faced fourth-and-2. But Justin Fields, who entered in place of Wilson in the short-yardage situation, was stopped for a two-yard loss, turning the ball over on downs.
The Steelers finally did score on their third possession, as Wilson connected with Calvin Austin III on a 46-yard pass to set up a 48-yard field goal by Boswell and a 3-0 lead.
The Browns, who hadn’t had a first down to that point, answered with a touchdown drive, including converting on fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 16.
“They made some of those fourth-and-shorts and we didn’t,” said Steelers defensive lineman Isaiaah Loudermilk. “We pride ourselves in stopping those kind of plays, and we just didn’t do it.”
Chubb then scored on a 2-yard run to give Cleveland a 7-3 lead with 4:00 remaining in the half.
Looking to get a score before the end of the half, Wilson attempted to step up in the pocket on second down at his own 32, but Garrett got a hand on the ball and knocked it loose. Winston Reid recovered the loose ball at the Pittsburgh 31.
That set up a 34-yard Dustin Hopkins field goal that pushed Cleveland’s lead to 10-3.
Cleveland, OH
Winter Weather Alert: Cleveland, OH Braces for Up to 5 Inches of Lake Effect Snow Tonight
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Cleveland, OH – A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Cuyahoga and Geauga Counties until midnight. Residents should prepare for heavy lake effect snow and hazardous travel conditions.
The National Weather Service warns of total snow accumulations between 3 and 5 inches. The snow is expected to intensify this evening, creating dangerous conditions for the Thursday evening commute. Visibility could drop significantly, making travel difficult across the region.
Local authorities urge drivers to slow down and exercise caution on slick roads. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, travelers should delay unnecessary trips and monitor traffic updates at www.ohgo.com.
Residents are also advised to watch for icy patches on sidewalks, stairs, and driveways, which could lead to injuries. Heavy snow rates are expected to decrease after midnight, but roads could remain treacherous into Friday morning.
Stay updated on weather and traffic conditions, and take extra precautions to ensure safety during this winter weather event.
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