Woman Arrested For Selling Counterfeit Botox, Juvederm

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - A woman was arrested on suspicion of selling counterfeit Botox and Juvederm products without a medical license.

Josefa Acosta, 57, a resident of Palm Desert, was arrested and booked into jail Friday for "Furnishing Prescription Drugs Without A License" after allegedly selling counterfeit Botox to undercover officers with the Los Angeles Police Department's Commercial Crimes Division, Illicit Pharmaceutical and Counterfeit Unit (IPCU).

Acosta is suspected of setting up an online store and a makeshift medical office within her residence. IPCU detectives also confiscated Juvéderm, syringes, and other pharmaceuticals that should only be possessed by licensed medical professionals, investigators said.

Samples of the numerous seized pharmaceuticals were sent to a laboratory for testing and deemed counterfeit by the manufacturer, in violation of recorded and registered trademarks, investigators added.

To prevent the risk of buying counterfeit, law enforcement officials say consumers should only buy products from authorized medical providers or directly from the manufacturers.