Pakistan-made fairness creams find growing market in border areas of Bihar, Bangal; experts raise health concerns
The illegal trade came to light after personnel of the SSB seized a large consignment of banned cosmetic products near the Nepal border in Bihar and Bengal.
Pakistan-made fairness creams, branded as 'Gori Beauty' and 'Chandani Whitening', are growing in popularity in bordering districts of Bihar and West Bengal. This surge in demand has sparked concerns over cross-border smuggling and potential health hazards, according to officials. The illegal trade surfaced after the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) intercepted a significant shipment of unauthorized cosmetics near the Nepal border.
Officials say these creams are believed to be smuggled into India via Nepal, revealing gaps in measures to prevent banned goods from entering domestic markets.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has alerted SSB and police forces in Bihar and West Bengal to tighten border surveillance and monitor the flow of unauthorized cosmetic products. State health departments and drug control cells in the Kosi and Seemanchal regions of Bihar, as well as Darjeeling, Siliguri, and Malda districts in West Bengal, have intensified their vigilance. Teams are being deployed to trace the supply chain and identify the networks delivering these products to local markets.
Officials from Kosi and Siliguri regions stated that the products are being routed through border settlements to major cities like Kolkata and Asansol. Customs officials in West Bengal are actively pursuing leads on the smuggling operation. The cosmetics were found to contain harmful heavy metals and toxic elements, surpassing safety limits, and were lacking the necessary registration certificates for import into India.
Health experts warned that prolonged exposure to these toxic substances could lead to skin damage and more serious health complications, possibly affecting children and other vulnerable groups.
The popularity of such fairness creams, especially among rural and economically disadvantaged consumers, presents an additional challenge for enforcement authorities. Efforts are underway to locate distributors, retailers, and stockpiling points along the supply chain. Coordinated action among the SSB, customs authorities, drug regulators, and state police is deemed essential to dismantle the smuggling network.
The primary objective now is to stop further consignments from reaching consumers and assess the scale of distribution of these potentially hazardous products across Bihar and West Bengal.
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