"These cosmetics could easily have reached high-end malls and caused serious skin damage. We acted on a tip off and found two truckloads of cosmetics," said Dr Harshadeep Kamble, commissioner, FDA.
When officials of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raided a small room in Mumbai's crowded Crawford market they were shocked to find cosmetics of international brands that drive many to empty their pockets. L'oreal, Lakme, Revlon and Nivea were just some of the names on the packaging of the cosmetics but there was a catch - they were all spurious!
"These cosmetics could easily have reached high-end malls and caused serious skin damage. We acted on a tip off and found two truckloads of cosmetics," said Dr Harshadeep Kamble, commissioner, FDA.
Officials found machinery and packaging - all of which could have duped an ardent shopaholic- from Pravin Dhillon, who owned Krishna Cosmetics in Bhuleshwar. "Further interrogation led us to Radhe Cosmetics in the same area as well as a godown full of spurious cosmetics in Buleshwar," said Kamble.
"The set-up had machinery to produce these fast moving consumer products that are now being tested in a lab at the FDA's headquarters," Kamble added.
While the accused have been booked under section 18 and 22 of the Drug and Cosmetic Act, there will also be a police complaint. "We will also book them under Section 420 for cheating as well as under other sections dealing with the Intellectual Property Laws," Dr Kamble added.
"Cosmetics need to be of high manufacturing standards and should have gone through testing or there could be allergies, rashes and pigmentation. Some chemicals could also be carcinogenic and lead to skin cancer," said dermatologist Rinky Kappor, director of Esthetic Clinic.
Possible side-effects of spurious cometics
Allergies
Rashes
Dryess
Peeling/flaky skin
Pigmentation
Skin cancer
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