Digital BW, The Print

I just got my first Epson paper order from Atlex (what great 
prices!). I'm about halfway through my first box of letter-sized EAM 
printing for this months exchanges and I'm noticing about every 5-6 
pages or so the papers have small smudges on them (about 1-3 mm in 
size). They look as if a small grey-colored bug or something got 
caught in the paper while it was being processed, smashed, then 
dried and embedded into the paper. Not very big but certainly easily 
seen. My prior boxes of EAM bought locally (and for much more $$$) 
have been clean and clear.

By chance has anyone else seen this in EAM? Perhaps from Atlex? I'm
not accusing anything with such little evidence but is there a chance
that Atlex sells Epson papers so low that their batches might be
"seconds" somehow?

Regards,

Richard