Pakistan-made cosmetics worth Rs 7 lakh seized in Hyderabad, wider network suspected

Of late, several Pakistan-made cosmetics have increasingly been finding their way into the city’s retail market, with products including skin-whitening creams and soaps allegedly being sold at shops despite lacking the mandatory approvals for import and sale in India.

Though the trade has reportedly been going on for some time, the issue was recently highlighted after the Task Force, Rajendranagar Zone, along with Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) officials, seized Pakistan-made cosmetics worth around Rs 7 lakh from shops in Habeeb Nagar and Nampally.

The seized products included beauty creams and soaps manufactured in Pakistan and marketed primarily for skin-whitening purposes.

According to Task Force officials, the products were among those identified as unauthorised cosmetics



in a recent CDSCO public notice and had not been granted the required registration certificate for import into India.

It was also found that the products were not confined to a single outlet. “Our teams found similar cosmetics allegedly being sold by other local sellers in other markets. The role of other vendors is also being examined,” said a senior Task Force official.

CDSCO officials have pointed out that certain products covered by the regulatory warning were found to contain heavy metals above permissible limits, potentially exposing users to health risks.

A case has been registered under sections of the BNS and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

The investigation is underway to identify the wider network involved in bringing and distributing the products in the city.