Pakistan-made fairness creams seized in Bihar and West Bengal amid health and smuggling concerns
Authorities intercepted large shipments of Pakistani fairness creams near the Nepal border, prompting health warnings over heavy-metal content.
A major seizure by the Sashastra Seema Bal uncovered Pakistani-made fairness creams being trafficked via Nepal into India’s border districts of Bihar and West Bengal. The products, marketed as ‘Gori Beauty’ and ‘Chandani Whitening’, lack proper registration and contain mercury and other hazardous metals at levels many times the permitted limits. Health authorities warned that prolonged use could harm skin and pose serious risks, especially to children.
Police officials reported that the low price of the creams makes them popular among low-income consumers, with thousands using them monthly. Enforcement agencies, including the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, customs, and state drug control cells, have been instructed to tighten surveillance along the frontier and dismantle the supply chain feeding larger cities like Kolkata and Asansol.
Why it matters
The smuggled creams pose health risks and expose gaps in border security and product regulation.
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