The hospital system paid about $3.5 million for what it thought was going to be authentic 3M N95 masks.

Instead, authorities said, the 622,000 masks were counterfeits sent stateside by a China-based company that’s been exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to sell knockoff protective face coverings across the United States.

On the bright side, agents from the Department of Homeland Security seized the masks at a facility in Detroit on Thursday, Sept. 30, before they could reach the Midwest-based hospital system, which was not identified.

3M, parent company of Top 40 supplier 3M/Promotional Markets (asi/91240), makes authentic N95s, which have been in high demand during the pandemic due to their ability to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Counterfeit masks are of “grave concern” because they put healthcare workers and patients at risk since they’re not up to the protective standards of authentic N95s, Vance Callender, Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge of Michigan and Ohio, told The Detroit News.

Authorities have an open investigation into the fraudsters and their activities in the U.S.

“This company in China is distributing these masks and profiting off (3M’s) name and reputation and costing them business,” said Callender. “We’re looking for importations from this company to make sure we get them off the streets.” The company was not identified.

Genuine 3M N95 masks have been approved by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health as protection against COVID. Minnesota-headquartered 3M delivered approximately 2 billion N95 masks in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic raged.

3M/Promotional Markets ranked 18^th on Counselor’s most recent list of promo’s largest suppliers based on estimated 2020 revenue of $70.7 million.