Made in Pakistan beauty products seized in Maharashtra leave officials stunned: One cream found with 48,453 times the permissible mercury limit

Two beauty creams labelled as Pakistani products and seized by Nanded police have been found to contain extremely high concentrations of mercury, with laboratory tests revealing levels thousands of times above the permissible limit. The findings emerged from a government laboratory report on cosmetic products confiscated during a police raid in Maharashtra's Nanded district nearly four months ago, an official said on Friday.

The seized products, collectively valued at around Rs 39.69 lakh, were recovered from Afrah Collection (Afrah Tours and Travels) in the Makkah Galli area on July 9.

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Mercury levels in Pakistani beauty creams exceed permissible limits

According to the laboratory analysis, two beauty creams contained mercury concentrations far exceeding the limit of 1 part per million (PPM) prescribed under cosmetic regulations.

The 'PARLEY 24K Gold Gleam Beauty Cream' was found to contain 48,453.44 PPM of mercury, while the 'GOREE Beauty Cream with Lycopene' recorded 6,924.94 PPM.

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The findings have raised concerns about the safety of these products, particularly given the potential health consequences of prolonged exposure to toxic heavy metals through cosmetics.

Nanded police raid uncovers imported beauty products

The seizure took place on July 9, when a joint team from Itwara police station and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a raid at Afrah Collection in Nanded.

During the operation, officials found the shop operator, Mohammad Ziauddin Mohammad Wajid, in possession of beauty products bearing labels in Urdu and English that claimed they were manufactured in Pakistan.

The seized stock was estimated to be worth nearly Rs 39.69 lakh. Samples of the products were subsequently sent for laboratory examination.

Mercury and arsenic exposure can pose serious health risks

Officials said the laboratory findings had raised serious concerns about the potential health hazards associated with the seized cosmetics.

Prolonged exposure to excessive mercury and arsenic through beauty products can lead to skin disorders, kidney damage and neurological complications, they said.

The presence of toxic heavy metals in cosmetics is a particular concern because such products may be applied directly to the skin over extended periods.

Case registered under BNS, Drugs and Cosmetics Act

Following the seizure, a case was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, police said.

The police have also appealed to citizens to report the sale of counterfeit, unlicensed or suspicious imported products to the authorities.


Inputs from PTI