Hyderabad, Oct 1 — Hyderabad Police and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) have busted an illegal Pakistani-origin cosmetics racket and seized products worth about Rs 7 lakh.
The Task Force, in coordination with the CDSCO, raided a few shops in the Nampally area, a police officer said on Thursday.
Acting on credible information about the sale and distribution of unauthorised cosmetic products suspected to have been imported from Pakistan, the Commissioner’s Task Force, Rajendranagar Zone, conducted a raid with the CDSCO at Beauty Ladies Emporium, Beauty Queen Shop and SJ Medical Shop in Habeeb Nagar, Nampally, on Wednesday.
Concerned CDSCO officials subsequently verified the products for further legal action.
CDSCO officials reported that the cosmetic products found were among the unauthorised or banned cosmetic products identified in the CDSCO/DCGI public notice dated September 8 and that the products had not been issued the required Registration Certificate for import into India by the competent authority.
Police said in a release that the identified products included beauty creams and soaps marketed for skin-whitening purposes, which were found to be manufactured in Pakistan and allegedly imported into India without the required authorisation or registration.
According to the CDSCO, the products concerned were identified as unauthorised for sale or import in India.
The CDSCO public notice further stated that some of these products contained heavy metals beyond the specified permissible limits, which may pose health risks to consumers, including toxic effects.
During the preliminary inquiry, it emerged that the cosmetic products were allegedly procured through a Mumbai-based dealer or supplier, suspected of receiving or arranging the products from outside India and supplying them to dealers in Hyderabad.
The preliminary inquiry further revealed that the local sellers were not maintaining proper purchase bills, invoices or supporting documents relating to the procurement of the Pakistan-origin cosmetic products.
Police have registered a case against five traders under Sections 123 and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 18-C and 27-A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and have taken up an investigation.
Police named Mohammad Afzal, Mohammad Ayan, Mohammad Riyazuddin and Syed Abid Ali as respondents.
Police also found that Syed Ismail, who runs a shop in Santosh Nagar, was allegedly selling similar unauthorised cosmetic products.
Police said they are verifying his role and source of procurement.
It was also found that, apart from the stock available at the sale premises, additional stock was being maintained in a godown.
Police are verifying the location, ownership, and quantity of the stock stored in the godown.