📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Alisha Mukhtar
Health
Pak-made beauty cream seized in Maharashtra contains mercury 48,000 times above safe limit
✍️ India Today
🗓 14 Nov 2026, 06:31 AM
👁 24
Authorities in Maharashtra seized a Pakistani beauty cream that laboratory tests showed contains mercury levels 48,000 times higher than the permissible limit, posing a serious health risk.
The Maharashtra state drug control department confiscated a batch of beauty cream imported from Pakistan after routine testing revealed alarmingly high mercury content. Laboratory analysis indicated that the mercury concentration in the product was 48,000 times the level deemed safe for cosmetic use.
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can cause skin irritation, kidney damage, and long‑term neurological disorders when absorbed through the skin. Health experts warn that regular use of such contaminated cosmetics could lead to serious systemic toxicity, especially among vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children.
The seized product is being examined further to determine the scale of distribution. Officials have urged consumers to check their cosmetics for any Pakistani labeling and to report suspicious products to local authorities. The state government is coordinating with the central drug regulator to prevent similar hazardous imports and to enforce stricter testing protocols.
The incident underscores the need for vigilant monitoring of imported cosmetics, as illegal products often bypass safety standards. Consumers are advised to purchase beauty items only from reputable retailers and to verify that products carry the mandatory Indian regulatory approvals.
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can cause skin irritation, kidney damage, and long‑term neurological disorders when absorbed through the skin. Health experts warn that regular use of such contaminated cosmetics could lead to serious systemic toxicity, especially among vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children.
The seized product is being examined further to determine the scale of distribution. Officials have urged consumers to check their cosmetics for any Pakistani labeling and to report suspicious products to local authorities. The state government is coordinating with the central drug regulator to prevent similar hazardous imports and to enforce stricter testing protocols.
The incident underscores the need for vigilant monitoring of imported cosmetics, as illegal products often bypass safety standards. Consumers are advised to purchase beauty items only from reputable retailers and to verify that products carry the mandatory Indian regulatory approvals.