Six nabbed over skin enlightening creams

skin enlightening creams

Police in Victoria Falls have nabbed six suspects in connection with 3 050 tubes of illegal enlightening creams

 These tubes contain hazardous substances with a street value of about R17 510 recovered at a house in Chinotimba high-density suburb.

Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson, Sergeant Siphiwe Makonese, confirmed the incident, which she said happened on Monday at house number 1013 in Chinotimba.

Sgt Makonese said police received information that there were bags with facial creams, which contain hazardous substances in them, which were being kept at the house by the suspects.

"Upon receipt of the information, police reacted swiftly, leading to the arrest of the six accused persons. In the process eight bags were also recovered at the scene of which six contained the hazardous creams while the other two had personal clothing.

"Five hundred and fifty five by 120ml tubes of Extra Claire, 660 by 120ml tubes of Carolight cream, 737 by 120ml tubes of Diprozona cream, 1228 by 120ml tubes of Epidermis cream, 124 by 120ml tubes of Princess cream, 241by 120ml tubes of Betasol cream, four by 120ml of Movate cream, two by 120ml of Momeslo cream and one by 120ml of Super Clair cream were recovered and they have a combined street value of R17 510," she said.

Sgt Makonese added that preliminary investigations have shown that the hazardous creams were smuggled into the country from the neighbouring Livingstone in Zambia.

"Laws of the country prohibit the use of cosmetics containing hazardous substances. So they are smuggled into the country where they have a ready market from women who want to enlighten their skin."

Sgt Makonese said women should be content with their natural beauty.

"These skin enlightening cosmetics when applied have non reversible after-effects," she warned.