Toothpaste scare has shoppers on guard

PATERSON -- The products sold in dollar stores around Paterson and Passaic may bear brand-name labels, but customers Tuesday said they weren't exactly shocked to find out the products aren't always the real deal. "The Vaseline lotion isn't Vaseline. It's Asheline," said Joseph Rojas of Passaic. "You put it on, and an hour later, you're still ashy." Rojas, who was at a barber shop in Paterson Tuesday, said he has stopped shopping at a nearby dollar store since hearing that some stores had been selling counterfeit Colgate toothpaste that was contaminated with a poisonous chemical. "It bothers me so much, I ain't shopping there no more," he said. In some instances, proprietors themselves do not know where their products come from. One Paterson dollar store still had the contaminated toothpaste on the shelves Tuesday afternoon. When a reporter tried to buy the toothpaste at B&D 99 Cent store on Market Street, the store clerk said her boss had ordered her not to sell it to customers. The storeowner, listed in state business records as Diallo Younoussa, said in a telephone interview Tuesday that he bought the contaminated toothpaste from the back of a van that brings around products about once every two weeks. Younoussa said he bought other toothpaste stock from a major distributor. The vans and traveling salesmen also sell other products, such as deodorant, and there is no regular delivery time, he said. Younoussa said he did not know the name of the company that sold the products. They've got their vans loaded up, and they go to every store," Younoussa said. "They sell it to me so cheap. That's why I buy it." Several other dollar-store owners denied buying things from the vans, or even knowing about them. Mike Afaneh, owner of U.S. 1 Discount on Main Street in Paterson, said it wasn't unusual for people to walk in off the street and solicit discount-store owners to buy their products. Afaneh says he never buys from such people, but uses large distributors, such as Quality King Distributors Inc., based in Ronkonkoma, N.Y. "Every day some people come and say, 'You want to buy this and that?'" he said. "Today, an Indian guy walked in and offered me watches. I deal with companies (because) if somebody brings me something back, I have someone to return it to. Plus, (guys on the street) always sell you goods cash on delivery. For cash." At 99 Cent Dream on Lexington Avenue in Passaic, longtime discount-store owner Hadi Memon said the thousands of products filling his store's shelves probably come from 100 to 200 different companies. But verifying the legitimacy of the goods was not a problem. "We don't buy from people we don't know," he said. "No way." Doug Arbesfeld, a spokesman for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said counterfeit prescription drugs may occur more frequently than fake over-the-counter products because prescription drugs are usually more expensive on the regular market, giving counterfeiters larger profits. But fake prescription medicines may be more dangerous because people don't get the medicines they need. Toothpaste is considered an over-the-counter drug because it is a health product. Younoussa, the B&D owner, said that he only found out about the imposter Colgate on Monday, and that his employees were removing the goods. By the time a reporter left the store, the toothpaste was off the shelves. But that didn't mean Gary Smith, of Passaic, was going to buy what was left. Smith had come in specifically for toothpaste, but after some careful inspection, decided to look elsewhere. "I think I'm going to pass on it now and go to a regular pharmacy," he said. Patricia Peeples, of Passaic, said she stopped buying dollar-store cosmetics a long time ago because they don't work as well. She'll buy pots and pans, tchotchkes and candles, but never soap or shampoo. Peeples has suspected for a long time that many of the products are counterfeit, she said. "Even when they're labeled the exact same, you can tell," she said. "You can tell by the scent and quality of things." Many other customers agreed. Nora Castillo, who was shopping at 99 Cent Dream while in from Florida to visit her mother, said she stays away from health or food products in discount stores. "I never buy any health products," she said. "Just party supplies or basic home supplies like towels," she said, displaying a set of small white towels in her hand. "I don't buy food or health products. That was even before. So, now, definitely, I wouldn't." Rosalba Jorge, 17, said she's willing to pay more for her toothpaste at ShopRite and doesn't buy much at discount stores. She only stopped in at 99 Cent Dream Tuesday to pick up body soap for her grandmother. "My grandmother, she's picky about the prices," Jorge said. "She prefers to buy something that costs less so she has more money in her pocket. I prefer spending $2.99 because I know that it's not fake. And if it is fake, I can go to the company and sue them." Reach Ashley Kindergan at 973-569-7164 or Kindergan@northjersey.com. and Danielle Shapiro at shapiro@northjersey.com. Wednesday, June 20, 2007 By ASHLEY KINDERGAN HERALD NEWS