Nagpur: Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nagpur Division, raided a cosmetics firm in Itwari market and seized Pakistan-origin beauty products suspected to have harmful mercury and steroids last week.
The products, suspected to be smuggled into India without mandatory import licences, have raised serious concerns over public health and safety violations, with possible contents like mercury and steroids.
The consignment included beauty cream, face wash, beauty cream, body lotion and whitening soap — all labelled “Made in Pakistan” by Goree Cosmetics or Shaheen Cosmetics. Prelim checks revealed critical labelling violations, including absence of batch numbers, manufacturing licence details, manufacturer addresses, manufacturing dates and expiry date.
Accused in the case, Sativan Virwani, 50, reportedly admitted purchasing the items from a Mumbai-based supplier named Saddam without bills. Acting on precise intel, a team led by assistant commissioners Anjali Mitkar and Manish Chaudhary, along with drug inspectors Swati Bharde and Abhishek Chawardol, conducted the surprise raid on April 18 at Kasarpura Galli in Itwari.
The shop owner, Virwani, could not produce any valid purchase records, import documents in Form COS-2, or licensing proofs. A formal complaint has been lodged at Tehsil police station, leading to the registration of a case against the shop owner under BNS and relevant provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
